The earth moved in Oban sending tremors throughout houses as an earthquake was recorded in the town and surrounding areas in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The British Geological Society confirmed that it measured 1.9 on the Richter scale.
Locals took to social media to record their shock and confusion at the strange late night disturbance.
David Galloway, seismologist at the British Geological Survey, said: “It was just after midnight. We have got reports from residents in and around Oban saying their doors and windows rattled, the house shook. Someone who was in a caravan said it moved from side to side.
“We looked at our instruments in the area and we found there had been an earthquake with a magnitude of 1.9.
“We have received about 30 reports from people in Oban, North Connel, Kilmore, Benderloch, Glencruitten and Dunbeg.”
He said they record around 200 earthquakes every year in the UK.
Mr Galloway said: “In world terms this was a small earthquake. In UK term it was a moderate one.
“There was another one in Oban on May 14. It measured 1.3 and we didn’t receive any reports.
“The reason we got so many reports for the one last night was because it happened at a quiet time when people were resting. If it happened at noon people might not have felt it.”
Paula Cameron of Glengallan Road, Oban, said: “It was really quite frightening, I was scared.
“I have got a massive wardrobe in my room and half of it is filled with empty hangers. They started clanging together.
“It only lasted a couple of seconds. I heard one similar in April but this one lasted longer. I could hear a picture frame in the living room sliding across the wall.
“The two cats were in bed with me, they were looking about as if to say, ‘what’s happening?’.
“Not long after it happened lots of dogs started barking.
“I had no idea at first what had happened, I thought a meteorite had hit the earth. I went straight onto Facebook and people from as far as Benderloch to Kilmore were saying they heard it.
“Someone had posted that they saw shooting stars at Dunbeg at about 11pm, that’s why I thought it had maybe been a meteor shower.”
