Post by Avacyn on May 22, 2015 19:58:26 GMT
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 shook windows and caused walls to creak when it struck in the middle of the night in Kent.
No injuries or damage to buildings were reported following the tremor four miles (7km) south of Ramsgate at 2.52am, Kent Police said.
Locals reported books being shaken from shelves and described the earthquake as feeling like a vehicle had been driven into their property.
Lisa Ferguson, from Sandwich, was asleep at home with her husband and daughter when the quake struck.
"I was suddenly woken up by a bang, and then there was rumbling," she told The Telegraph.
"It sounded like a JCB had gone through the front of my house. My bed was shaking, the windows, the radiators."
While the earthquake woke up Lisa and her daughter, Lisa's husband slept right through and the next morning thought she was making it up.
The BGS said that this morning's earthquake's epicentre was approximately 7km south of Ramsgate.
Over 400 "felt reports" were received, including from places as far afield as Norwich, North Walsham and Cromer in Norfolk.
Although Lisa says the quake lasted "less than ten seconds" it was enough to prevent her from getting any more sleep that night.
She said her fears it was an earthquake were confirmed when she went on Facebook and saw similar posts from friends.
While it was "a bit of a shock", Lisa added "we're quite lucky it, could have been worse" - referring to the recent devastating earthquakes in Nepal.
Kent has been at the centre of tremors before. In April 2007, a magnitude 4.3 earthquake hit Folkestone, causing cracked walls and fallen chimneys at dozens of buildings.
The British Geological Survey said earthquakes similar in size to the one that struck this morning happen around every two years in the UK and about 4,500 times a year across the world.
It said: "Today's 4.2 magnitude Ramsgate earthquake is approx 260,000 times smaller than the 7.8 Nepal Quake event.
"This morning's earthquake is approx 25km (15 miles) north east of the April 28 2007 Folkestone earthquake which had a magnitude of 4.3 ML."
Lisa also experienced the last earthquake in Kent and told The Telegraph she "wouldn't be surprised it happened again."
No injuries or damage to buildings were reported following the tremor four miles (7km) south of Ramsgate at 2.52am, Kent Police said.
Locals reported books being shaken from shelves and described the earthquake as feeling like a vehicle had been driven into their property.
Lisa Ferguson, from Sandwich, was asleep at home with her husband and daughter when the quake struck.
"I was suddenly woken up by a bang, and then there was rumbling," she told The Telegraph.
"It sounded like a JCB had gone through the front of my house. My bed was shaking, the windows, the radiators."
While the earthquake woke up Lisa and her daughter, Lisa's husband slept right through and the next morning thought she was making it up.
The BGS said that this morning's earthquake's epicentre was approximately 7km south of Ramsgate.
Over 400 "felt reports" were received, including from places as far afield as Norwich, North Walsham and Cromer in Norfolk.
Although Lisa says the quake lasted "less than ten seconds" it was enough to prevent her from getting any more sleep that night.
She said her fears it was an earthquake were confirmed when she went on Facebook and saw similar posts from friends.
While it was "a bit of a shock", Lisa added "we're quite lucky it, could have been worse" - referring to the recent devastating earthquakes in Nepal.
Kent has been at the centre of tremors before. In April 2007, a magnitude 4.3 earthquake hit Folkestone, causing cracked walls and fallen chimneys at dozens of buildings.
The British Geological Survey said earthquakes similar in size to the one that struck this morning happen around every two years in the UK and about 4,500 times a year across the world.
It said: "Today's 4.2 magnitude Ramsgate earthquake is approx 260,000 times smaller than the 7.8 Nepal Quake event.
"This morning's earthquake is approx 25km (15 miles) north east of the April 28 2007 Folkestone earthquake which had a magnitude of 4.3 ML."
Lisa also experienced the last earthquake in Kent and told The Telegraph she "wouldn't be surprised it happened again."
SOURCE: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/geology/11624261/Kent-earthquake-sounded-like-a-JCB-had-gone-through-the-front-of-my-house.html
This is interesting, and worrying. Is this the sign of things to come?
