Small earthquake detected in Brittany on Monday September 23
Tremors hit town in centre but passed unnoticed by most people
Earthquakes are common in France, but rarely cause damage or injuries
MuhsinRina / Shutterstock
A small earthquake was detected in central Brittany yesterday (September 23), measuring 2.1 on the Richter scale.
It happened just after midday and was brief. Its epicentre was Plélauff (Côtes-d’Armor).
No buildings were damaged and no-one was injured.
Most residents did not feel the tremor as it began at a depth of 5km below the surface, barely making its way to the ground - but it was detected automatically by a geological station nearby.
Earthquakes in France are fairly common, but are usually so weak that they are not noticed by people and only picked up by measuring devices.
They are more common in the mountainous south and east, although can occasionally appear in other hilly areas, such as central Brittany.
Earlier in September, a 4.5 magnitude earthquake hit the south-east of France, close to Nice and Cannes.
Read more: 4.5-magnitude earthquake shakes Cannes and Nice
Read more: Which areas of France are most at risk from earthquakes?
