'Huge explosion' heard across two counties as ground shakes and windows rattle
A "huge explosion" was heard across two North Wales counties as people ducked in terror and windows rattled from the force of the blast. Thousands of people heard the ground-shaking "boom" in the sky above Gwynedd and Anglesey on Tuesday afternoon.
The mystery explosion sparked febrile debate on social media, with the blast likened to a "gas explosion" or "plane crash". Many thought an earthquake had struck the region, but the British Geological Survey confirmed to North Wales Live that there was no evidence of any seismic activity in the area at the time.
The leading theory is that a "sonic boom" was the cause of the blast, which would have been caused by a plane overhead breaking the sound barrier. While the RAF said they were not carrying out any flights in the area at the time, the US Air Force said they were looking into the reports.
They confirmed they had been made aware on Wednesday morning of a "sonic boom" over North Wales, and were looking into what happened. Gwynedd county councillor Arwyn Roberts was in Caernarfon at the time and described it as "one hell of a bang".
He said: "You could feel the ground shaking. It has got everyone talking. People are talking about it everywhere, they were talking about it as I was going to the council."
Cllr Roberts said people from as far away as Benllech on Anglesey and Porthmadog had heard it. A Llanrug resident told North Wales Live: "I heard this enormous boom, and because it was windy yesterday, I presumed the recycling boxes had blown over.
"Also, the dog started barking, so I checked to see if someone was at the door. It was genuinely so loud. People locally had said there may have been some kind of earthquake but it sounded more like a sonic boom to me."
A third person told North Wales Live there was "a big boom heard in the Talysarn area". They said: "I thought it was thunder at first, but there was nothing else after that. I then wondered if it was a sonic boom? It was very loud!"
Another person said they heard "a huge explosion sound in the sky followed by another straight after that echoed". They said people around them ducked for cover thinking there had been a "gas explosion". Another said they thought an aircraft had "exploded".
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