Shropshire Star

Did the quake shake you? Earth tremor felt in Shropshire

An earthquake with its epicentre in South Wales was felt in Shrewsbury and other areas of Shropshire.

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How the quake was recorded. Source: British Geological Survey.

Scores of people took to social media in the county to ask if anyone had felt a shuddering or rumbling at teatime on Monday.

They said their houses creaked and there was a light shaking of the ground that lasted five to 10 seconds.

International earthquake monitors reported a series of tremors in the UK including one centred on Bishops Castle.

The minor, 2.3 magnitude quake happened at 5.51pm, 14 kilometres underground. There is a geological fault line that includes the Church Stretton Fault Zone along the Shropshire/Welsh border.

One of those worried by the phenomenon was Pauline Henshaw from Pontesbury. She said there was an unusual shudder from the ground.

Her Facebook post brought more reports from people reporting they have heard and felt rumblings from as far as Clun, Bishops Castle and Church Stretton as well as in many parts of Shrewsbury from Radbrook and Meole Brace and the town centre as well as further north in Ford.

One person in Belle Vue at first it was a freight train passing their home, others said they at first thought lorries were going past their houses.

In April 1990 a more powerful earthquake centred on Clun saw damage to buildings in Bishop's Castle and in Shrewsbury with chimneys dislodged, gargoyles falling from churches and tremors felt as far as Oswestry. Power was also lost to hundreds of properties.