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Earthquake shakes parts of Kent Earthquake shakes parts of Kent
(20 minutes later)
An earthquake has shaken parts of Kent, damaging buildings and disrupting electricity supplies.An earthquake has shaken parts of Kent, damaging buildings and disrupting electricity supplies.
Homes in fives streets in Folkestone were evacuated because of structural damage including cracked walls and fallen chimneys. Homes in five streets in Folkestone had to be evacuated because of structural damage including cracked walls and fallen chimneys.
The tremor struck at 0819 with a magnitude of 4.3 and had its epicentre a few miles off the coast in the English Channel, experts said. The tremor measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale struck at 0819 and experts said its epicentre was a few miles off the coast in the English Channel.
But casualties were low with just one woman suffering head and neck injuries. One woman was taken to hospital suffering from a minor head injury.
Chief Superintendent Ally Hope said: "Given the time this happened and the number of people that were about we should be genuinely thankful that so few people were hurt."Chief Superintendent Ally Hope said: "Given the time this happened and the number of people that were about we should be genuinely thankful that so few people were hurt."
All our street shook...the seagulls went crazy Karol Steele Witnesses' accounts Q&A: the Kent quakeAll our street shook...the seagulls went crazy Karol Steele Witnesses' accounts Q&A: the Kent quake
South East Coast Ambulance Service said the injured woman taken hospital had been in her her 30s.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service also took more than 200 emergency calls, ranging from concerns over structural damage to gas smells.
EDF Energy said it had managed to restore electricity to most of the several thousand homes left without power in the Folkestone and Dover area.EDF Energy said it had managed to restore electricity to most of the several thousand homes left without power in the Folkestone and Dover area.
Scottish and Southern Energy, which supplies gas to the area, said it was investigating 300 "possible gas escapes".
"Obviously there is a smell about and people have been reporting it and we have to attend every single report," a spokesman said.
"But at the moment we are not sure if it is natural gas brought up by the earthquake, which can happen, or leaks from pipes."
The earthquake damaged several homes in Folkestone
David Booth of the British Geological Survey said the tremor, which lasted a few seconds, was of a sizeable magnitude.
"It's certainly the largest in the UK since an earthquake in Dudley in the West Midlands in 2002 and that also caused damage."
The British Geological Survey has measured the epicentre as being approximately 8.6 miles (14km) south of Dover, out in the English Channel.
Dr Roger Musson, of the British Geological Survey, said the earthquake was "not exceptionally large" for Britain.
"It's the sort of thing we might have every five years or so."
Dr Musson added that he did not think there would be any further earthquakes following the tremor.
"Going on past experience the last two significant earthquakes that we had in this area were in 1776 and 1950.
"My best guess is that any aftershocks from this earthquake will be only recorded by our instruments and won't be felt by people."
Professor Bill McGuire, director of the Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre said damaging earthquakes were "rare" but not unknown in the UK, with the Kent region being an area that had experienced them before.
A Eurostar spokesman said everything was running normally in the Channel Tunnel.A Eurostar spokesman said everything was running normally in the Channel Tunnel.
Eyewitness Lorraine Muir said: "We've been evacuated by the Sally Army; we've got no gas or electricity." The earthquake damaged several homes in Folkestone
Paul Smye-Rumsby, who lives in Dover, said: "It was about 08.15 when suddenly the bed shook violently. The Kent incident is the largest recorded in Britain since an earthquake in Dudley in 2002.
"I thought my wife had got cramp or something but then I saw the curtains were moving and the whole house was shaking. It lasted about 1.5 seconds. British Geological Survey seismologist Roger Musson said the tremor was around 4.3 on the Richter scale, with an epicentre 7.5 miles off the Dover coast.
"This is by no means a complete surprise," he said. "There have been earthquakes in this location before.
"Two of them have been some of the biggest earthquakes ever to affect Britain.
"The first was in 1382 and in 1580 a quake with a magnitude of about six killed two people in London.
"There were also smaller tremors in 1776 and 1950 in the area, which were in the "low fours" and on a similar scale to the one today.
"It was a matter of time before we had another earthquake here," he said.
Residents in Folkestone gathered outside their homes to survey the damage and because of fears of possible aftershocks.
The Salvation Army also comforted those affected by the tremor with shelter and refreshments.
Up to 100 people, including families and the elderly, arrived at a church in Canterbury Road, Folkestone.
QUAKES IN THE UK December 2006 - Dumfries and Galloway (Magntiude 3.5)September 2002 - Dudley, West Midlands (5.0)October 2001 - Melton Mowbray (4.1)September 2000 - Warwick (4.2) April 1990 - Bishop's Castle, Shropshire (5.1) July 1984 - Nefyn, north Wales (5.4)June 1931 - in North Sea near Great Yarmouth (6.1)QUAKES IN THE UK December 2006 - Dumfries and Galloway (Magntiude 3.5)September 2002 - Dudley, West Midlands (5.0)October 2001 - Melton Mowbray (4.1)September 2000 - Warwick (4.2) April 1990 - Bishop's Castle, Shropshire (5.1) July 1984 - Nefyn, north Wales (5.4)June 1931 - in North Sea near Great Yarmouth (6.1)
"All the power is off and we have got the portable radio on. People are standing outside talking to each other about it."
Paul Hatton, 38, of Folkestone, said he and his brother Neil initially thought the tremor was caused by an explosion.Paul Hatton, 38, of Folkestone, said he and his brother Neil initially thought the tremor was caused by an explosion.
He said: "I was upstairs and my brother was downstairs and I heard a bang and thought that a lorry had crashed into something or that there had been a gas explosion.He said: "I was upstairs and my brother was downstairs and I heard a bang and thought that a lorry had crashed into something or that there had been a gas explosion.
"I went outside and could smell a bit of gas and there were lots of people outside. "I went outside and could smell a bit of gas and there were lots of people outside."
"It was quite unusual seeing people coming out of their homes all at the same time. Nobody quite knew what was going on." Sam Millen, of Folkestone, was also at home when the earthquake struck.
Sam Millen, of Folkestone, was at home when the earthquake struck.
She said: "The whole place was shaking just after 8am, the TV was rocking backwards and forwards, alarms going off, lamps smashed onto the floor, and now the small cracks in the house have got a lot bigger."She said: "The whole place was shaking just after 8am, the TV was rocking backwards and forwards, alarms going off, lamps smashed onto the floor, and now the small cracks in the house have got a lot bigger."
Paul Smye-Rumsby, who lives in Dover, said: "It was about 08.15 when suddenly the bed shook violently.
"I thought my wife had got cramp or something but then I saw the curtains were moving and the whole house was shaking."
Police want owners of local businesses which are empty because of the weekend are urged to check their premises for signs of damage.Police want owners of local businesses which are empty because of the weekend are urged to check their premises for signs of damage.
Are you in the area? Have you witnessed any of the damage caused by the tremor?
Are you in the area? Have you witnessed any of the damage caused by the tremor?
Send us your comments and experiences Send us your comments and experiences
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