Scientists investigate ‘mystery tremor’ in Donegal

Residents report ground shaking and doors bangings in homes in short incident in April

Scientists have examined data from a mystery tremor in parts of Donegal last month. Photograph: Thinkstock
Scientists have examined data from a mystery tremor in parts of Donegal last month. Photograph: Thinkstock

Scientists are trying to determine the cause of a tremor which shook parts of Donegal for several seconds.

The investigation follows reports by residents in the village of Ramelton and surrounding areas last month.

The residents claim they heard a large bang which resulted in doors slamming and the ground shaking.

One resident in the Ballyare area, close to the reported centre of the tremor said: “I looked at my wife and she looked at me. We thought it was a huge explosion but nothing was found.

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“The ground shook and a number of doors in the house banged. Even though we have never experienced one, it felt like what I thought an earthquake would feel like.”

No injuries were reported and the entire episode lasted around five seconds.

The Irish National Seismic Network have examined the data left by the tremor on April 22nd.

The graph shows a large disruption but it is still not known yet what exactly caused the reading.

Teacher Brendan O’Donoghue, a physics teacher at St Columba’s College in Stranorlar examined the data on a seisometer, a device for measuring such incidents.

Although the centre of the ‘tremor’ is believed to have originated from Ramelton, evidence of it showed up on the school’s seisometer which is located more than 25 miles away.

“I used some more sophisticated signal filtering software and isolated this signal. Shaking seems to last for about five seconds here in Stranorlar.

“The INSN reports the possible location as Ramelton,” he confirmed.

The exact cause of the tremor has still yet to be determined.