‘Sonic event’ shakes homes and people in North Yorkshire

Residents suspected an earthquake after feeling tremor

Residents reported ‘windows vibrating’ (Getty/iStock)

Residents of North Yorkshire said they “felt the ground tremble” during what experts have said was a “sonic event”.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) initially received reports of a suspected earthquake at around 3.50pm on Wednesday.

But, following analysis, seismologists determined it to have been the result of a “sonic event” as opposed to movements in the ground.

One resident, Dr Amy-Jane Beer, tweeted: “Felt in the air and all through our bodies near Castle Howard.

“Kids froze, dog ran for her life. Former now thrilled, latter hiding under my bed.”

David Gibbs, a geography professor at the University of Hull, said: “Today’s excitement - earth tremor this afternoon while at home, estimated 4.6 (not by me…)”

A councillor from Whitby said he could “see the windows vibrating”.

“The house shook, I could see the windows vibrating... It sounded like something really heavy falling over in the house next door,” Phillip Trumper told the PA news agency.

“I suppose it [could] have been a sonic boom,” the 48-year-old added.

In a statement, BGS said: ”Reports described ‘house shook and conservatory creaked’, ‘a low rumble ending in a thud’, ‘windows rattled’ and ‘felt the ground tremble’.

“Data from the BGS seismic networks in the region were examined and signals consistent with a possible sonic origin were recorded between 15:47:42s and 15:49:23s UTC on several stations, on the BGS seismic network, in North Yorkshire.

”The reports received are also consistent with historical observations received for previous events with a sonic origin.“

The origin of the phenomenon is currently unknown and BGS said it was unable to comment on sonic events.

Word spread online that the tremors had originated from a sonic event and many people expected a sonic boom to be the cause.

One North Yorkshire local, C R Dudley, said: ”Apparently there was a sonic boom I thought it was just my bad mood shaking the house.“

Sonic booms are created by the shockwaves created when an object travels through the air faster than the speed of sound.

A sonic boom heard over London and the east of England earlier this year was later revealed to be due to RAF aircraft flying to intercept a private plane.

Additional reporting by PA Media