SHARE
COPY LINK

NATURE

‘Relatively large’ earthquake hits Swedish city of Gävle

An earthquake occurred near the Swedish city of Gävle on Saturday afternoon.

'Relatively large' earthquake hits Swedish city of Gävle
Photo: Depositphotos
Several residents contacted emergency services after feeling the ground shake beneath their feet. 
 
“The earthquake measured 3.0 [on the Richter scale]. That’s relatively large for Sweden and something like this only happens a few times a year here,” Björn Lund, a seismologist at Uppsala University, said. 
 
The earthquake occurred at 2:57pm, with its epicentre located in the village of Varva, about 10 kilometres north of Gävle near the country’s east coast. 
 
Lund said the earthquake of that magnitude would have had little effect on area residents. 
 
“It may have shaken some windows and glass cabinets, but no more than that. It sounds like a train or truck passing nearby,” he said. 
 
Gävle is home to around 100,000 residents and has been described by The Local as perhaps “Sweden’s most random city”. It is probably best known for its enormous straw yule goat.