Sponsored by
Donegal homes shaken by earthquake
People were woken up and their homes were shaken as they were hit by a minor earthquake in Co Donegal.
The rumblings were reported by people in towns and villages in north Donegal, in Ireland, the British Geological Survey (BGS) said.
The quake, just after 1am, measured 2.2 and was recorded at a depth of 3km on the Fanad peninsula.
Julian Bukits, assistant seismologist with the BGS, said window frames shook and some people were woken up.
"It happens naturally in the north of Ireland but not as often, say, as northern Scotland or the south of Wales," he said. "No one can really explain it for Ireland, it's just a geological phenomenon. Usually, with reports of this kind, people think it's a heavy lorry going past their home."
The BGS has narrowed the epicentre of the quake down to a few hundred yards around the Knockalla heights coast road, about five miles across Lough Swilly from Buncrana.
People as far away as Letterkenny, Kilmacrennan and Ballybofey reported the rumblings, as well as more locally in Buncrana, Kerrykeel and Urris.
The BGS had eight reports from people feeling mild vibrations, a loud rumbling, creaking and shaking of windows and doorframes in homes.
No damage was reported.
The last similar-sized earthquake in Ireland was a 2.6 in north Clare in May 2010. Mr Bukits said: "They are not very often and as far as earthquakes go, 2.2 is relatively insignificant."
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2012, All Rights Reserved.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Spooky goings on at Limerick’s Milk Market
- BREAKING: Limerick ‘was never in running’ for PayPal as 1000 jobs set to be announced for Dundalk
- Family evicted from house in Limerick housing estate
- Trial of Limerick’s Dundon brothers is adjourned at Special Criminal Court
- Court hears details of threats allegedly made by Limerick brothers
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Limerick
Thursday 23 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: West
