A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck large parts of western France on the evening of Friday, and was labeled by the French Central Seismological Bureau (BCSF) as “very strong”, French media reported.
Earthquakes with magnitudes above five are uncommon in France, with the most recent occurring in the southeastern department of Drôme in 2019.
Speaking about the natural incident, transition minister for ecology, Christophe Bechu, characterized it as one of the strongest quakes recorded in the country.
The earthquake caused material damages mainly to buildings. Stones were seen falling from structures and cracks emerging in walls.
In the Charente-Maritime department, a power line fell, leaving 1,100 houses without electricity.
The earthquake was felt as far north as Rennes and as far south as Bordeaux.