Earthquake hits South Wales at 4.9 on Richter scale

An unusually large earthquake has hit Wales and south-west England.

The tremor, which measured 4.4 on the Richter scale, was centered eight miles north-east Swansea in South Wales.

It is the biggest earthquake to hit the UK in 10 years after a 5.2 quake was recorded in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire on February 27, 2008. 

This map shows the earthquake was centred in South Wales, with people reporting tremors in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea

Students were evacuated from Swansea University's campus in the biggest earthquake to hit the UK in 10 years 

Students were evacuated from Swansea University’s campus in the biggest earthquake to hit the UK in 10 years 

The seizemology graph from the British Geological Survey shows the size of this afternoon's earthquake in south Wales 

The seizemology graph from the British Geological Survey shows the size of this afternoon’s earthquake in south Wales 

Dyfed-Powys Police said in a statement they are receiving an ‘extremely high call volume’ reporting some sort of earth tremor in the area. 

As well as residents in Newport, Cardiff and Swansea reporting that they were affected by the earthquake, tremors were felt in Bristol and Cornwall.   

Swansea students were pictured outside on campus as the epicentre of the quake was concentrated eight miles north-east of the city

Swansea students were pictured outside on campus as the epicentre of the quake was concentrated eight miles north-east of the city

South Wales students were forced from the campus buildings of Swansea University after the quake hit near the city

South Wales students were forced from the campus buildings of Swansea University after the quake hit near the city

Anthony Collins from Trowbridge in Wiltshire told Wales Online: ‘I was sat on my settee and all my ornaments and my cabinets began to shake.

‘My daughter has been on social media and has everyone seems to have felt it.’ 

Floors shook across Merseyside as residents in Liverpool and the surrounding area reporting buildings ‘shaking’ and the ‘ground moving’ on Twitter. 

Others took to social media to joke about the devastation wrought in the form of turned over chairs and smashed plant pots. 



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk