Earthquake hits towns in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire
- Published
The quake was felt at about 09:45 BST in the town of Leighton Buzzard
An earthquake with a magnitude 3.3 has been felt across several towns in England.
People living in Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable, Bedfordshire, and Milton Keynes and Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire said they felt it at about 09:45 BST.
Carly Jan Smith, 31, in Dunstable, said it was "really strong" and lasted for about two seconds. Her whole room went from "side to side", she said.
The British Geological Survey said it struck just north of Leighton Buzzard.
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Bedfordshire Police said there were no reports of injuries, although it had received a large number of calls.
Across the border in Buckinghamshire, Thames Valley Police tweeted, external that is was not a major incident, adding that "extra resources have been drafted in to clean up the mess created by the duty inspector's coffee".
The earthquake interrupted Lydia Strange's online yoga class
Dr Richard Luckett, of the British Geological Survey, confirmed the quake, saying: "It was very minor on a global scale, but still quite large for the UK.
"We get about two of these a year."
He said there was a slight chance of aftershocks "but they are very likely not to be felt".
British Geological has released the seismograms for the Leighton Buzzard 3.3 magnitude event
John Yorke, a computer programmer in Woburn Sands, Bedfordshire, said: "It felt like one subtle jolt to the house which made the windows vibrate.
"My initial thought was to look out of the window expecting to see a car had crashed into our property. I haven't felt anything like it before."
Ms Smith of Dunstable told BBC Three Counties Radio: "I was in my room and I thought my stepdad was doing something in the garage because the whole room just went from side to side, really strongly.
"It was like the foundation beneath me had kind of jolted."
Karen Cursons, a 56-year-old town councillor, added: "We've been in Leighton Buzzard for 34 years and I have never felt anything like that."
'Rumbling and shaking'
Christine Sawyer, who lives in a mobile home in Caddington, said it had left her "really scared" as she feared her property had broken off its mooring.
"The whole place shook, it felt like something had hit the side of the home," she said. "My dog shot out of her chair."
Gavin Prechner was working from home in Leighton Buzzard.
He said: "It felt like a car had crashed into my house, but then the rumbling and shaking continued.
"No damage to report apart from a hairline crack in the paint work in my upstairs office and some pictures looking wonky on the wall."
- Published23 January 2020
- Published6 December 2019
