An earthquake shook parts of the UK just before midnight this morning (Saturday, February 25).
The quake's epicentre was reportedly three miles (4.9km) north west of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, at a depth of around 2,000 metres — which is considered by seismologists to be a "very shallow". However, people from neighbouring counties in England reported feeling the tremor, including from Dudley and Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, reports Wales Online.
On social media, people reported furniture moving and houses and homes shaking and creaking. Others reported being woken by the rumbles.
Kath Cartwright in Newbridge said on Facebook: "The bedroom wall was shaking… I had the light on so saw it plain as day. The whole house shook! A scary moment! Frightened the life out of me."
Meanwhile, in Fochriw, Ann Keating reported that her parrot fell off its perch.
Initial estimates suggested the quake measured a magnitude of between 3.8 and 4.2, despite many people being led to believe it had been much stronger. However, volcanodiscovery.com said of the earthquake: "Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface."
Strong tremors were felt in Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Pontypridd, and Abertillery.
Google's Android Earthquake Alert System reported the earthquake struck at 11.59pm on Friday, February 24, measuring a magnitude of 4.2. Experts explained that the earthquake would have been described as feeling like a "light shaking" in areas close to the epicentre. But some people say they were pulled from side to side or were moved across rooms in the chairs they were sitting in. Welsh resident @betharthur27 said on Twitter that their "house shook" and they felt like they were "being pulled from side to side".
Volcanodiscovery.com reported : "A very shallow magnitude 3.8 earthquake was reported late at night near Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, United Kingdom. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the quake hit on Friday, February 24, at 11:59pm local time at a very shallow depth of 2km.
"Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface. Magnitude and other quake parameters can still change in the coming hours as the agency continues to process seismic data.
"Our monitoring service identified a second report from the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake, which listed the quake at magnitude 3.8 as well.
"Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the area of the epicentre. It should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc. In Merthyr Tydfil (pop. 43,800) located 5km from the epicentre, and Aberdare (pop. 31,100) 6km away, the quake should have been felt as light shaking.
"Weak shaking might have been felt in Rhondda (pop. 59,500) located 12km from the epicentre, Ebbw Vale (pop. 33,100) 16km away, Tonypandy (pop. 62,500) 16km away, and Pontypridd (pop. 30,400) 20km away.
"Other towns or cities near the epicentre where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include Newport (pop. 306,800) located 37km from the epicentre, Cardiff (pop. 447,300) 37km away, and Swansea (pop. 300,400) 38km away."
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