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At 05:50:16 UTC on the 19th of November 2024, a minor earthquake with a magnitude of M1.6 occurred near Bandon, Co. Cork. The earthquake’s epicentre was located approximately 5 km northeast of Bandon at a shallow depth of around 1 km below the surface.

Although small in magnitude, the event was reportedly felt by some members of the public. The Irish National Seismic Network (INSN) and the British Geological Survey (BGS) confirmed the event through their seismic recordings. Additionally, citizen science seismometers (Raspberry Shakes) in the south and west of Ireland also detected the event, showcasing the growing contribution of community-based seismic monitoring under the QuakeShake programme.

James Grannell, Technical Officer at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), noted the rarity of such events in the Cork region:

“Earthquakes in Cork are very rare. The last recorded felt earthquake was an M2.2 near Courtmacsherry in December 2013, and before that, an M2.1 near Midleton in November 1981. These events were also felt by members of the public.”

The recent earthquake serves as a reminder of Ireland’s generally low seismic activity. Since its foundation in 1977, the INSN has documented only a few felt earthquakes in the Cork area, highlighting the significance of reports from the public to aid in understanding the effects of these events.

The public is encouraged to report their experiences of the Bandon earthquake by filling out the INSN questionnaire, which helps seismologists gather valuable data on how such events are felt in different areas.

For those who experienced or heard the event, please visit the INSN’s questionnaire at: https://www.insn.ie/you-felt-a-seismic-event/questionnaire/

Further details about QuakeShake, a citizen seismology programme co-funded by Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) and supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), can be found at: https://quakeshake.ie