A 3.3-magnitude earthquake rattled parts of north-west England late Wednesday, jolting residents from sleep across Lancashire and the southern Lake District.
The tremor, which occurred shortly after 11:23 pm, was detected in several communities including Kendal and Ulverston.
According to seismologists, the epicentre was located just off the Silverdale coastline in Lancashire at a shallow depth of approximately 1.86 miles.
Residents described the brief quake as resembling a powerful underground blast, with some reporting that their homes shook forcefully enough to suggest a heavy object had crashed nearby.
More than 1,100 people filed reports on a quake-monitoring platform, most describing the vibrations as light or weak.
Emergency services confirmed receiving multiple calls from concerned residents who heard a loud bang or felt tremors, particularly around Carnforth, about 18 miles north of Lancaster.
Authorities said there were no injuries or structural damage, but police, fire, and ambulance units remain on standby as a precaution.
The British Geological Survey, BGS, noted that while the UK records between 200 and 300 earthquakes annually, only around 20 to 30 are typically strong enough for the public to feel.
The majority of seismic activity is detectable only through monitoring equipment.
3.3-magnitude earthquake hits north-west England
