Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Small Earthquake Shakes Scottish Highlands Near Spean Bridge

The quake was shallow enough to be heard and felt across nearby villages but is not expected to cause structural damage.

Overview

  • The British Geological Survey logged a local-magnitude 2.5 earthquake with an estimated focal depth of about 5 km near Spean Bridge.
  • Residents in Roybridge, Inverlair, Fort William and surrounding villages reported being woken by a loud rumble and felt shaking and rattling of items.
  • BGS seismologist Davie Galloway said the event was felt up to roughly 20 km from the epicentre and is the largest within that radius since a magnitude 2.7 event in April 2023.
  • There are no published reports of significant damage or injuries, and quakes of this size normally do not cause structural harm.
  • Historical records show larger regional shocks have occurred, including a magnitude 4.5 West Scotland quake in 1817, and the BGS uses public reports to map felt intensity for events like this.