Yes, yes, you were wide awake this morning, when you felt a shock in Caen (Calvados)! An earthquake with a magnitude of 2.7 was recorded at precisely 9:34 a.m. in the city and its surrounding area, this Monday, October 7, 2024.
According to the French Central and Seismological Bureau – National Seismic Monitoring Network (BCSF-Rénass), “the event was confirmed by an analyst.”
The epicenter was located in Cambes-en-Plaine, a town 6 km north of Caen, and the site specifies that the depth of this earthquake was 4 km. “This is the particularity of this earthquake, indicates Daniel Amorese, seismologist and lecturer at the University of Caen. It wasn’t deep, it was a superficial earthquake. This is also why the population felt it. » Usually, in Normandy, the depth is around 10 km, or even a little more.
The earthquake took place north of Caen (Calvados). The epicenter was located in Cambes-en-Plaine. Screenshot BCSF-Rénass
If some felt the earth shaking, others could hear something like a big “boom”, without being able to determine its origin. It is now done.
So far, no damage appears to have been reported. Yesterday Sunday, a shock of the same intensity was felt in Morbihan.
“A big boom, and vibrations throughout the house”
Contrary to popular belief, earthquakes in our region are not that rare. “Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more occur every eighteen months on average, in an area between Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine) and Rouen (Seine-Maritime)”, continues Daniel Amorese.
This Monday morning, the inhabitants of the Côte de Nacre felt the shock. In Luc-sur-Mer, Jacques heard “a rumbling sound for 5 seconds and felt his windows shaking.” Muriel, in Colomby-Anguerny, “surprised by the sound of an explosion, followed by a rumble unlike the noise of a storm”.
In Lion-sur-Mer, Laurent heard “a loud boom, then felt vibrations throughout the house. I said to myself: “gas explosion or earthquake”.” Barbara, in Colleville-Montgomery, heard “a rumbling sound, as if something had been moved or as if there was construction in the area.”
Marie, in Douvres-la-Délivrande, has “felt like a construction machine scraping a layer on the ground”. Guylène, in Hermanville-sur-Mer, was left with quite a scare: “I heard a big boom, my dog started barking. I rushed downstairs to see what was happening outside the house, but I saw nothing… And for good reason.”
“The overhead projector started shaking”
In the Caen area, similar testimonies have reached us from Cormelles-le-Royal; Cuverville, where the “Valerian’s bed has cracked”. In Bretteville-sur-Odon, Évelyne believed “ that it was my boiler, which in fact was not lit.” In Fleury-sur-Orne, Stéphanie thought that “Something had fallen in my garden. It was impressive” ; in Éterville, Pauline was “in class, when suddenly I heard a noise and the overhead projector started shaking.”
This is not the first time that an earthquake has occurred in Caen. In August 2006, a mini-earthquake, measured at 3.2, woke up some residents in the middle of the night.
In June 2019, an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter in Maine-et-Loire, was felt as far away as Caen.
Finally, in November 2021, a magnitude 2.5 earthquake was recorded between Sannerville and Banneville-la-Campagne, east of Caen.
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