BORDEAUX, France – A rare magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck much of western France on Friday night, with reports of damage to buildings, seismological agency BCSF said the quake was “very strong”.
Environment Minister Christophe Betieux said the quake was “one of the strongest recorded on the mainland”.
The last time an earthquake of similar magnitude occurred in France was in the early 2000s, according to AFP records.
The national earthquake monitoring network RENASS recorded the quake as magnitude 5.3, while the French Central Seismological Service (BCSF) announced it as magnitude 5.8.
One person in Desèvres suffered minor injuries and was treated on the spot, according to the department.
“Sequences of property damage were reported from the southwestern part of the prefecture,” including stones falling from buildings and cracks in walls, the prefecture said in a statement.
Further south, in the Charente-Maritime department, buildings cracked and power lines fell, plunging 1,100 homes into darkness.
The quake was felt as far away as Rennes in the north and Bordeaux in the southwest.
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/very-strong-earthquake-shakes-western-france ‘Very strong’ earthquake rocks western France