‘It felt like a bird smashed into our windows’: Shock as 4.5-magnitude earthquake rattles SOMERSET
- Many social media users said they felt the earthquake in the surrounding areas
- The 4.5 magnitude earthquake was reported to have lasted just a few seconds
- In Taunton there was moderate shaking with some items falling from shelves
Residents in Somerset have been left in shock after a 4.5 magnitude earthquake was felt in Yeovil earlier this evening.
It hit the area at around 22:49pm and had a depth of 5km.
Many on social media said they had felt the earthquake in areas such as Taunton and Cheddar.
The British Geological Survey confirmed the earthquake which lasted just a few seconds.
The graph above shows the exact time the earthquake hit in the Somerset area on Thursday evening
The earthquake was registered in Yeovil (aerial view of the area pictured above)
Reports from surrounding areas suggested there had been deep rumble in north Petherton.
It was also felt by some in Glastonbury and Milverton.
Others said it had been ‘quite brief’ but there had ‘definitely been a tremor’.
Another Twitter user later on added: ‘A 4.5 magnitude earthquake in Yeovil tonight!! Not a headline one would expect to see.’
This is while another added: ‘We heard and felt the tremor & wondered if it was an explosion.’
Social media users reacted to the earthquake with some saying it felt like a bird had smashed into their window
A local resident called Ray said: ‘My bedroom windows shook instantaneously and it felt like a big bird had hit it. We live in Taunton 20 miles from Yeovil. Wondered what the hell it was.’
One user joked :’#earthquake near Yeovil. This is not a drill, I’m getting my Daryl bike from ‘the Walking Dead’ ready. Packing the tinned sardines as we speak.’
It was later downgraded to a 3.4 magnitude earthquake.
The last earthquake in the UK was in Cumbria on November 30 and registered as 0.8 in magnitude.