Houses shake as earthquake hits South Wales

The tremor struck last night just north of the Rhondda Valley

Author: Gavin RutterPublished 25th Feb 2023
Last updated 25th Feb 2023

People have described feeling their houses shake after a small earthquake struck South Wales late last night.

The tremor, with a magnitude of 3.7, hit just before midnight, around eight miles north of the Rhondda Valley, with an epicentre close to Abertillery.

The impact was felt across South Wales, with reports reaching across the border into Herefordshire.

People on social media have reported objects such as bookshelves and desks moving.

Others have described feeling like a car had driven into their home.

Mike, who lives in Abergavenny, felt the tremor. He told us: "It woke my daughter up, she heard the rumble and then there was, like, a bang.

"I thought someone had fallen in the attic."

The British Geological Survey says they received reports from residents throughout the region, mainly from within around 40 km of the epicentre.

Reports described "the whole house was shaking", "the rumbling and the bang woke me up", "my bed seemed to move side to side", "was like a large explosion" and "the windows and doors all rattled".

The BGS measures the quake at 11.59 with a magnitude of 3.7.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded a tremor with a magnitude of 3.8.

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.