It was 11:58pm on Friday, February 24. Some people were just preparing to go to bed, others were already fast asleep. Moments later, all were literally shaken out of their midnight activities when an earthquake that measured between 3.8 and 4.2 on the magnitude scale struck somewhere near Merthyr Tydfil, about seven miles from Abertillery.
For some, it was "like a bomb going off" - with reports of a loud "sonic boom" that set whole houses shaking. However, others didn't feel or hear thing.
Some spoke of their fears - especially after the horrific events in Turkey and Syria. Others shared comical moments - like a parrot falling from its perch in Fochriw.
Fortunately, it seems the only tsunami the earthquake triggered was a wave of queries and comments on social media. Danielle Morgan said on Facebook: "It definitely felt a lot worse than a light shaking in Ebbw Vale. We thought someone had crashed into the cars on our drive. Frightening! Brought the whole estate out wondering what was going on! The whole house shook to the core."
Elaine Tantum Howell responded, saying: "Same for us in Radyr, it sounded like the roof had fallen into the attic and everything shook!" Adrian Price calmly understated: "My chair jolted a bit in Beddau." And Blod Jones told readers: "We live ten floors up in flats Merthyr — stool moved, also the settee moved."
Read more: LIVE: Midnight earthquake shakes South Wales
Lyndy Lloyd contributed to the conversation: "Dogs were frightened and barking. It shocked me too, felt like something heavy falling over upstairs. Abertillery." And Hayley Ann said: "My bed moved side to side. . . I thought it was collapsing beneath me. Didn’t feel light at all."
Shelly Organ stated: "Being in Troedyrhiw we honestly thought someone had crashed into a wall so we checked the children were still sleeping and went out to check and there were a few in the street thinking the same. It made the house shake a little where it felt like something happened outside, glad it didn't though."
Vicki Price said: "The noise scared me! Was like a sonic boom - whole house shook in Gilwern!"
Angeline Dacre Brook, from Port Talbot, said: "I felt a strong rush of cold wind flow across the living room, but I didn't feel anything shake." and Emma Barton told readers: "My house shock and I heard a rumble; my son's PC chairs both moved too."
Diffa Ormond reported: "Nothing here in Newport. . . there again we miss out all the time — would have loved a shake." Jason Humphrys stated: "I heard a loud bang that sounded like a bomb just went off then my entire kitchen shook, my cat was frightened — it was weird, it only lasted seconds but it left an impact."
Kath Cartwright in Newbridge said on Facebook: "The bedroom wall was shaking… I had the light on so saw it plain as day. The whole house shook! A scary moment! Frightened the life out of me."
And Tracey Mosley commented: "I saw and felt it. The wall moved toward me and back again. It felt like the house would collapse. Goodness know how scary the one in Turkey and Syria felt. Those poor people."
Twitter user Marc Tilley was among the first to report feeling the quake. At 12:02 - just over two minutes after the tremor, he posted: "Did anyone else in Cardiff just feel the #earthquake??" One user responded: "I’m up by Rhigos and felt it. . . not weird at all, at midnight and the moon and alignment of stars and planets are really close at the moment." A user called Suzie David said: "Yes! In Cardiff! No-one else felt it, thought I was going mad!"
And user @omgheyluna said: "Me! I went outside as I thought something heavy had fallen onto my roof. The whole wall shook for a few seconds then stopped. I used to live within the Pacific ring of fire — brought back memories!"
The quake drew out some aspiring comedians. One said: "There was some late night turnip mining going on under the cover of darkness. Seismic activity wasn't unexpected." Another stated: "I thought the next door neighbour slammed their door." In Newport, many people reported that nothing had happened there, drawing this response from a responder: "'Crikey, not even an earthquake wants to come to Newport now." And finally, one wag simply opined: "******* English again!"
Meanwhile, in Fochriw, Ann Keating reported that her parrot fell off its perch. Isabel Langborne commented on Facebook: "Felt in Abertillery. Was home alone and thought back door slammed open. Heavy bang and a strong vibration that reverberated through house! Grabbed my hairdryer ready to attack someone breaking in!"
According to earthquaketrack.com, the last time an earthquake of similar power in the same area struck was 23 years ago — at 7:15pm on October 25, 1999. Recorded as being of magnitude 4.5, the epicentre was around seven miles (11.2km) from Glynneath.
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.
READ NEXT
