‘Earthquake’ or ‘seismic sonic event’? Either way, it’s left hundreds of North Yorkshire folk shaken up
Did the earth move for you?
It has done for hundreds of people across North Yorkshire who have experienced the ground shaking beneath their feet this afternoon (Wednesday).
And according to the Volcano Discovery website, something most definitely occurred. “Seismic-like event, possible earthquake, reported about 10 minutes ago near York,” it reported at 4.03pm.
“There are no details yet on the magnitude or depth of this possible quake.”
According to their ‘indicative’ seismic model, the epicentre of the quake was here:
Hundreds of people have taken to social media to discuss what happened, particularly in the Malton and Pickering areas.
People have also reported feeling it in the east of York.
Some also heard a loud boom as well as feeling the tremors. No damage has been reported as yet.
‘Really strange’
Zoe Grainger was at home in Malton when it happened.
“I was sitting in the kitchen watching my cat out the window because he was behaving oddly – maybe he sensed it coming,” she told YorkMix.
“Then the patio doors and windows started shaking. It only lasted a few seconds and it wasn’t scary because it was so unexpected. I wasn’t sure what it was.”
Anna Reagan of Norton told David Dunning on YorkMix Radio: “It felt a bit weird, as if somebody was trying to vigorously open my back door – just really strange.
“My dogs who are here were very spooked by it. We all ran to the back door and my dogs went through the dog flap, and obviously nothing was there.
“There felt like there was a bit of eerie wind. We could see nothing in the back garden. And then I thought maybe we’ve got a ghost.”
And this was another comment from a Facebook user who works at the University of York: “Just felt an earthquake! Mental, incredibly loud low rumble like nothing ever I heard before.”
Meanwhile, the British Geological Survey and said the cause of the tremors were “consistent with a possible sonic origin”: