RESIDENTS in the Highlands have reported being shaken awake after an earthquake was recorded in the early hours of Tuesday.
The seismic event measured a local magnitude (ML) of 2.5 on the Richter scale, with a focal point thought to be near Spean Bridge at a depth of 5km (3.1 miles).
It was also felt in Roybridge, Inverlair, Fort William and some surrounding villages.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) received a number of reports about the incident.
One person said that a “deep rumble of about five seconds woke my husband and I”.
Another said they were “woken from sleep to rattling in room from crystals rolling in a tray”.
Someone else said the earthquake “felt like a small explosion underground”.
Another person told the BGS: “I’m on the fourth floor of a concrete building and I was woken up by a deep, loud rumble in Fort William.”
The earthquake took place at 3.09am on Tuesday.
Davie Galloway, BGS earthquake seismologist, said it was felt around 12.5 miles (20km) from the epicentre.
He said: “This is the largest event in the region, within 20 km, since the magnitude 2.7 ML Fort William earthquake on April 22 2023, which was felt with intensities of at least four EMS (European Macroseismic Scale) in Spean Bridge and the surrounding area.
Galloway added: “Historically, the largest event to have occurred nearby was the magnitude 4.5 ML West Scotland earthquake that occurred on April 23 1817, which was reported to have been felt over a large part of Scotland.”
