A MINOR EARTHQUAKE occurred in Co Cork early this morning.
The Irish National Seismic Network (INSN), which monitors seismic activity across the country, confirmed that the magnitude 1.6 earthquake was detected at 5:50am around 5km northeast of Bandon.
INSN field technical officer Dr Patrick Smith told The Journal the earthquake occurred “at a very shallow depth, around 1km below the surface”.
Some locals reported that they felt the quake early this morning, according to the INSN, which is operated by DIAS (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies) along with Geological Survey Ireland.
Smith described the seismic event as “unusual” due to its location in Co Cork, where felt earthquakes rarely occur.
“Earthquakes do occur regularly in Ireland, and we typically detect around 20 or so per year,” he said.
The majority of Irish earthquakes in recent years have occurred in northern Donegal, as well as in Wexford. Others are often detected offshore, including in the Irish Sea.
“But an event in Co Cork is unusual,” Smith explained.
The previous felt earthquake from this region was magnitude a M2.2, occurring in Dec 2013 near Courtmacsherry. Since the INSN was established in 1977, the only other felt earthquake was a M2.1 near Midleton in Nov 1981.
Minor earthquakes like this morning’s are not uncommon, Smith said.
“We actually detected a M1.9 earthquake just a few weeks ago on 9 September near Gorey, Co Wexford for example.
“The largest onshore earthquake that we have detected in Ireland actually happened just last May, and was a M2.5 earthquake that occurred in the Glenveagh National Park in northwest Donegal.
“This was widely felt across the county and in total we received more than 300 felt reports from members of the public. Larger magnitude earthquakes have occurred offshore though, with the largest being the M4.3 earthquake that occurred off the west coast of Co Mayo on 6 June 2012.”
Smith encouraged members of the public who felt the quake to report it by filling out the INSN’s questionnaire.
“This helps us to build up an understanding of felt intensities of earthquakes around Ireland,” he said.
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