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Shetland rocked by earthquake
THE Earth moved in Shetland yesterday, as a quake gave startled islanders a rude awakening.
THE Earth moved in Shetland yesterday, as a quake gave startled islanders a rude awakening.
The surprise wake-up call came at about 5.30am as buildings began to shudder and shake.
The British Geological Survey said the quake measured 3.3 on the Richter scale and its epicentre was at Tingwall on the west side of the mainland.
No one was injured and no damage was reported but the police and coastguard received calls from worried residents.
John Burns, 34, who runs a garage in Tingwall, said he and girlfriend Susan Davie, 39, who is eight-and-a-half months pregnant, were asleep when the quake hit.
They only moved into their newly built home a few weeks ago and had no idea what was happening.
John said: "I thought the roof had come off. Walls were vibrating, the bed was moving and, as I sat up, the headboard was vibrating against my back."
"It only lasted four or five seconds but was frightening. At least it didn't send Susan into labour."
The quake was also felt 15 miles away in Aith, where lifeboat cox Hylton Henry said: "It was quite a shudder - enough to wake you up."
Experts described the quake as "quite unusual".
Dr Aoife O'Mongain of the BGS said: "People were reporting it felt like a train had gone past right outside their house and windows were shaking."
A police spokesman said: "We received a number of reports around 5.35am. Residents reported hearing a bang and their houses shaking."
He added that there were no reports of any injuries or damage to property.
Shetland Coastguard watch manager David Phillips said: "I was at work when the building shook.
"We got phone calls from the public who were concerned because they had heard banging and shaking. It certainly made us sit up and take notice."
Tremors usually start to be noticed when they hit 3.0 on the Richter scale.
Major damage starts to be caused at 5.0.
There are around 200 minor tremors in the UK every year.
The largest recent UK quake was 5.2, which hit Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, in February last year.
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