Magnitude 3.8 earthquake rattles South Wales at midnight

An earthquake measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale was reported near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales late on Friday night. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The quake occurred at 11:59 pm on February 24th, with a depth of just 2 km, making it more strongly felt than deeper earthquakes. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

#Earthquake (#daeargryn) M3.8 strikes 37 km NW of #Cardiff (United Kingdom) 27 min ago. More info: https://t.co/Xou0iamctC ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

— AllQuakes – EMSC (@EMSC) February 25, 2023 ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

According to a number of witness testimonials on the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) website, houses and contents shook as a result of the tremor. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

One person wrote: “Just heard the house shift, the movement felt as if someone had fallen out of bed, nothing more.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Another wrote: “House felt like it moved in one direction” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

An Aberdare resident posted: “Felt the whole house shake. Thought my wife had fallen out of bed. Took me a few minutes to realise what had happened.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A Tredegar resident wrote: “Our [w]hole house shook for about 5 seconds children woken and scared.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

There were reports from people as far away as Rhyl, Northwich and Omskirk. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Twitter account for Gwrych Castle in Abergele asked the question: “Did we just have a mini earthquake here in North Wales?” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Did we just have a mini earthquake here in North Wales? ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

— Gwrych Castle (@Gwrych_Castle) February 25, 2023 ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Real-time data from the British Geological Survey’s seismic monitoring station in Monmouth shows a large ground motion reading at 12am. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The EMSC noted that the magnitude and other parameters could still change in the coming hours as the agency continues to process seismic data. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It said: “Based on preliminary seismic data, the quake was likely felt by many people in the area of the epicenter, which is located just 5 km from Merthyr Tydfil and 6 km from Aberdare.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Both towns should have experienced light shaking, while residents in Ronda, Ebbw Vale, Tonypandy, and Pontypridd may have felt weak shaking. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Latest News