Shropshire Star

When earthquakes hit Shropshire - with sometimes destructive consequences

Over the weekend residents of Newport might have felt a mild shudder as the town became the latest in the county to be hit by an earthquake.

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Although relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, the tremor was still recorded by the British Geological Society.

The Earthquake in Shrewsbury damaged chimneys and roofs.
The Earthquake in Shrewsbury damaged chimneys and roofs.

But it's not the first time Shropshire has been hit with an earthquake - with some of the previous incidents having far more serious consequences for the county's residents.

Clun, 1990

On April 2, 1990, a major tremor was felt across the country - not just in Shropshire.

Scientists eventually confirmed the epicentre of the quake was close to Clun, near Bishop's Castle, with the results felt across England and Wales.

The impact of the quake, which was measured at 5.1 on the Richter Scale, was significant for the county, particularly in Shrewsbury.

The quake, which was described as 'of significant size', lasted for around five seconds.

During the tremor entire buildings shook, sending masonry tumbling into the streets, and part of Shrewsbury was sealed off.

Many public buildings were evacuated, either at the time or amid warnings of after-shocks later.

The Earthquake in Shrewsbury damaged chimneys and roofs.
The earthquake in Shrewsbury damaged chimneys and roofs

Emergency services were deluged with phone calls from worried members of the public and also had to respond to automatic fire and burglar alarms which were triggered by the shock.