Common rooms across Oxford have been hit by series of small-scale earth tremors.
The ‘quake swarm’ registered a reading of 5.2 on the Richter scale and caused severe structural damage to many college properties.
‘It’s not our fault’, said Hugh Duff-Noan, seismologist at Murdoch Hall. ‘It’s the strike-strip fault running 17.4 km below Oxfordshire.
‘There was sudden rupture and motion. We’re not sure about the epicentre but we think it may have been Jericho: walls came tumbling down.’
Nestlé College was one of the worst affected. Damage to its wood-panelled JCR could cost upwards of £1000 in repairs, and the chapel is closed this week while site management move in to survey the damage.
‘It’s awful,’ said one student. ‘But at least it wasn’t the bar.’
Led by Shakeaway, local businesses have so far pledged £500 in support. Repair work in some colleges may take months to complete.