The strongest quake in the United Kingdom in nearly four years has hit the people of Shropshire on Monday.
The 3.8-magnitude quake, the largest to hit Britain since June 2018, shook homes “from side to side”, and residents described a “terrifying” and “surreal” experience. “.
The quake struck near Wem, north of Shrewsbury, but residents of neighboring Staffordshire and Cheshire counties also reported feeling the effects, with buildings shaking and windows trembling.
Brian Shuttleworth, 38, of Telford, said: “I was taking a nap after working all night and then I felt the bed move. It was surreal.
“My doors slammed shut and when I got up I could feel the ground beneath me tremble. It only lasted a few seconds, but it seemed like an eternity. It was very scary.
“At first I thought the noise was a car accident, but then I felt everything shaking and I knew it must be an earthquake. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”
Julie Williams of Wem told the BBC: “I knew right away what it was like, it was like going down the stairs and out. My legs went jelly.”
On social media, local people reported “murmurs and baptisms” and “strong blows.” One said, “My desk chair was shaking like it was in a spinning cycle.”
The British Geological Survey (BGS), which collects data on people’s experiences with earthquakes, said one person described how their home “looked like it was moving from left to right”.