A 3.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the village of Silverdale in Lancashire late Wednesday night, shaking homes across Lancashire and Cumbria. The tremor, which occurred at 11.23pm, was felt up to 30 miles away, with reports of shaking in Blackpool.
Residents described the event as feeling like an “underground explosion,” with some saying their houses shook violently. One person posted online that it felt as if the area “had been bombed,” while another initially suspected an explosion at the nearby Heysham nuclear power station.
Lancashire police confirmed no injuries or damage were reported, but officers, along with fire and ambulance services, were deployed to the area. The British Geological Survey (BGS) said it was the strongest earthquake in England since a similar 3.3 magnitude event in Staffordshire in 2023.
Earthquakes of 3.0 magnitude or above are rare in the UK, with only about two or three occurring annually. Wednesday’s tremor was the strongest in north-west England since a 3.7 magnitude quake shook Morecambe Bay in 2009.
Local residents reported dogs panicking, shop alarms being triggered, and glasses shaking behind bars. Sarah, a pub landlord, said nothing was broken but described the experience as “so strange.” Liz Unsworth, a Silverdale parish councillor, told the BBC it was “really scary” and felt like her house was disintegrating.
