Devon hit by earth tremor

An earthquake measuring 2.8 on the Richter scale shook the West Country yesterday. Seismologists confirmed it was the largest quake to hit Devon for more than 12 years.

The epicentre was at Totnes and tremors were felt more than 15 miles away in Plymouth, said seismologists at the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh.

John Lovell, a seismologist at the BGS, said around 30 earthquakes measuring between 2 and 3 on the Richter scale were recorded in the UK every year. "This quake is not unusual. We have between 25 and 30 quakes of this size recorded in the UK every year and we have between 200 and 300 quakes of various sizes recorded. With this quake, people have been describing thunder claps and explosions, houses shaking, and objects falling, which is common."

The largest earthquake to hit the UK in recent years rocked North Wales in 1984 and measured 5.4 on the Richter scale.