We were woken last night by the wardrobes in our bedroom shaking and the doors banging it was really very frightening...........................
The strongest earthquake to hit Britain in more than two decades was felt across large parts of the country early Wednesday, officials said. Some homes had minor damage but there were no reports of injuries.
The British Geological Survey said the 5.3-magnitude quake struck at about 1 a.m. and was centered about 125 miles north of London.
Julian Bukits of the British Geological Survey called it the most powerful quake in Britain since a 5.4 temblor hit North Wales in 1984.
"This was a very large earthquake in UK terms, but in world terms average," Bukits told The Associated Press. "This one has been felt throughout the whole of England and southern Scotland."
Many people across the region — unaccustomed to such quakes — reported feeling their homes shaken.
"It was scary," David Somerset told The Associated Press by telephone from Driffield, around 60 miles from the epicenter. He was working on the computer at the time.
"It was a strange sensation as the room, ornaments and chest of drawers started wobbling and making a loud rumbling noise," he said.
Lincolnshire police said they had received dozens of phone calls about the temblor and that some minor damage to homes had been reported.
"This is a moderate earthquake," Rafael Abreu of the U.S. Geological Survey told Sky News from the United States.
He described the tremor as a shallow interplate earthquake. He said his U.S.-based group initially put the magnitude at 4.7 but would likely adopt the 5.3-magnitude rating from his British counterparts.
Bukits said Britain is hit annually with about 200 quakes but only 10 percent are strong enough to be felt. A quake of magnitude 5 is capable of causing considerable damage.
Did it wake you?
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