A man whose house sits atop the epicentre of Friday night's earthquake has told how he feared the property "was going to cave in". Peter Lusted, who lives just east of Crickhowell, feared there had been an explosion.
According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the 11.59pm earthquake was in the rural hilly area of Llangenny. Mr Lusted, whose home is metres from the estimated coordinates, said: "I was watching a film — I can't remember the name, an old black and white job with Burt Lancaster — and my wife Elaine was asleep in bed. All of a sudden it was like something collapsed onto the house. There was a huge rumble and it felt like it was going to cave in."
The retired hand bookbinder and firefighter, 76, felt the home vibrate for a few seconds and thought a tree may have fallen outside. "I thought, 'What the hell?' My missus shouted, 'What's that?' I came running in and said, 'I haven't got a clue.'"
Read more: All the most powerful earthquakes to hit Wales
The couple's dog, a Jack Russell called Polly, was "all over the place". Mr Lusted went outside with a torch "to see if anything had fallen or if there'd been an explosion". But all was calm so he went to bed and checked the news on his tablet. Only then did he learn there had been an earthquake — which according to the British Geological Survey was 1.8 miles under the Earth's surface and a 3.7 magnitude quake. On average Britain only gets about one earthquake with as high a magnitude each year.
Mr Lusted, who has lived in the house for 40 years, has noticed two cracks on the outside wall above the doors to his wooden terrace. He believes they may be the result of the quake but he said they may have been there before. Before it was rebuilt three years ago, the home was an old cottage which Mr Lusted believes would have been more vulnerable to damage. He remembers an earthquake from around 30 years ago which felt similarly severe and believes the epicentre of that one was also nearby, though it did not damage the home.
In his yard the retiree has a small wooden workshop in which he makes Native American-style dreamcatchers as a hobby. He is relieved that the site stayed in one piece.
Tremors were felt as far as 100 miles from the epicentre. You can read more of our coverage of the earthquake here.
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