Key Highlights
- A 3.3-magnitude earthquake shook homes in north-west England on Wednesday night.
- The tremor was felt across Lancashire and the southern Lake District, including towns like Kendal and Ulverston.
- Local residents described the experience as terrifying and recounted how it lasted about 20 seconds with a deafening noise.
- No immediate reports of damage were received, but emergency services were on standby following the earthquake.
The Quake that Rattled North-West England
A sudden tremor shook homes in north-west England early Wednesday night, as a 3.3-magnitude earthquake was reported by the British Geological Survey (BGS).
According to BGS, the earthquake struck shortly after 23:23 and its epicentre is believed to be located in Silverdale, Lancashire, within a radius of 12 miles from the affected areas.
Witnesses Share Their Experiences
Nikki Maddox, who runs the Blossom Bird coffee shop in Silverdale, vividly recalled her experience during the earthquake. “I had just climbed into bed and I heard this enormous rumble,” she said. “It shook the whole house; it was very terrifying.”
Maddox, along with her son, lived above the coffee shop. She described how the tremor lasted about 20 seconds, during which time she thought her roof might be caving in. “The movement and noise were incredible,” she added. “My bed is against the wall, and I could feel the wall shaking.”
Local resident Katrina Simmons, who lives in Carnforth, 4.8 miles from the suspected epicentre, was woken up by the tremors. She said, “The shaking woke me up; I thought someone had driven into the house.
It was about 25 to 12 and I jumped straight out of bed. It gave me a hell of a scare.”
Simmons’ colleague Clare Hailes reported that the force of the tremor set their shop’s alarm off, prompting her general manager to receive calls in the middle of the night.
Local Reactions and Official Response
Silverdale Parish Councillor Liz Unsworth expressed how scary the experience was. “It felt like my house was disintegrating around me,” she said. “I was relaxing before going to bed, but suddenly I felt like the roof was falling in.”
Lancaster police received reports of a loud explosion in the area and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service reported that many residents had felt or heard a loud bang.
According to BGS, the quake occurred just off the coast of Silverdale at a depth of 1.86 miles. The Volcano Discovery website received more than 1,000 reports about the earthquake, with some as far away as Blackpool.
Lancashire Police stated that there had been “a minor earthquake in the area, near to the Lancashire and Cumbria border, measuring 3.3 magnitude.” They added that no reports of injury or damage were received but officers from the region were on standby together with colleagues from the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and the North West Ambulance Service.
Understanding Earthquakes in England
The British Geological Survey detects about 300 earthquakes every year in the UK, but only a tenth of these are felt or heard by people. This recent earthquake, while notable for its impact on local residents, is part of a broader phenomenon that often goes unnoticed due to the country’s generally stable seismic activity.
While England is not typically associated with frequent earthquakes, such events can occur and serve as reminders of the Earth’s dynamic nature. The tremor that hit north-west England serves as a timely reminder for residents and authorities to be prepared for any natural disasters that might come their way.
The earthquake in Silverdale, though brief, left an indelible impression on its witnesses, highlighting both the unpredictability and potential impact of seismic activity even in areas not typically associated with such events. As scientists continue to monitor these occurrences, understanding and preparing for them remains a key focus for the region’s authorities.
