- 2007 Kent earthquake
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2007 Kent earthquake 
US Geological Survey map showing the position of the earthquakeDate 28 April 2007 Magnitude 4.3 ML Depth 5.3 kilometres (3 mi) Epicenter 51°06′N 1°10′E / 51.10°N 1.17°E Countries or regions Kent, England Max. intensity 6 EMS - Slightly Damaging Casualties 2 (minor injury) 
Landsat image of the earthquake's epicentre, based on USGS location data which was later revised.
The 2007 Kent earthquake was an earthquake that registered 4.3 on the Richter scale and struck south east Kent, England on 28 April 2007 at 07:18:12 UTC (08:18:12 local time), at a shallow depth of 5.3 km.[1]
The worst affected area was the town of Folkestone, although the towns of Deal, Dover and Ashford were also affected. The tremors could be felt across much of Kent and south east England including as far as East Sussex, Essex and Suffolk[2] as well as on the other side of the English Channel at Calais and Brussels.[3]
Contents
Location
The British Geological Survey stated that the epicentre of the earthquake was less than 1 km north of Folkestone at 51.10°N, 1.17°E.[1] The United States Geological Survey indicated that the location of the earthquake was at 51.085°N, 1.009°E[4] suggesting a position approximately 5 km north west of Hythe.
Impact
The earthquake's shallow depth and proximity to Folkestone resulted in structural damage in the town, and one woman suffered a minor head and neck injury.[5] Following the earthquake, a total 474 properties were reported as damaged with 73 properties too badly damaged for people to return to, 94 seriously damaged, and 307 suffering from minor structural damage.[6] Harvey Grammar School situated in Cheriton Road, Folkestone was closed on 30 April due to "significant structural damage".
Several thousand homes were left without power for several hours and there were reports of a "smell of gas" in Folkestone.[7] The Port of Dover, the channel tunnel and travel links were unaffected although authorities asked people heading towards Dover to use the A2.[8] It is also possible that the earthquake caused a 300 metre (948 ft) crack in a cliff at Barton-on-Sea creating fears of a landslide. However, this could also be purely coincidental.[9]
EDF Energy had restored electricity supplies that had been cut by the earthquake by the same afternoon.[5] The Salvation Army Church in Folkestone provided refuge for approximately 100 people on 28 April whose homes had been damaged by the earthquake.[10]
Magnitude
The British Geological Survey gave the earthquake a reading of 4.3 on the Richter scale,[1] while the USGS and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre estimated that the earthquake had a body wave magnitude of 4.6 and 4.7 respectively.[4][11]
It was the largest British earthquake since the 2002 Dudley earthquake[7] and the strongest in the Dover Straits since a magnitude 4.4 earthquake in 1950.[12] The strongest recorded British earthquake was the 1931 Dogger Bank earthquake which measured 6.1 on the Richter scale.
Less than two years later on 3 March 2009 at 14.35 UTC, Folkestone was shaken by a smaller magnitude 3.0 quake, located in the same area.[13]
See also
- List of earthquakes in the United Kingdom
- Geology of the United Kingdom
- Dover Straits earthquake of 1580
References
- ^ a b c "2007 Earthquake Bulletin". British Geological Survey. http://www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/aboutus/publications/bulletins/Eqbull2007.pdf.
- ^ "Homes evacuated in Kent earthquake". ananova.com. http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2308246.html?menu=news.topheadlines.
- ^ Nikkhah, Roya (2007-04-29). "Earthquake shakes Kent". London: Telegraph.co.uk. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/29/nquake29.xml. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ a b "Significant earthquakes of the world 2007". United States Geological Survey. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqarchives/significant/sig_2007.php.
- ^ a b "Homes evacuated in Kent earthquake". London: Guardian Unlimited. 2007-04-28. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/apr/28/theobserver.uknews. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
- ^ "Hundreds of quake homes damaged". BBC News. 29 April 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6605095.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-29.
- ^ a b "Earthquake shakes parts of Kent". BBC News. 2007-04-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6602677.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
- ^ "People felt tremors in the weeks leading up to Earthquake". KentNews.co.uk. 2007-04-28. http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/People-felt-tremors-in-the-weeks-leading-up-to-Earthquake-newsinkent3638.aspx. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
- ^ "Landslip fear over clifftop crack". BBC News. 2007-04-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/6603547.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
- ^ "Salvation Army Brings Comfort to Kent Earthquake Victims". Christian Today. http://www.christiantoday.com/article/salvation.army.brings.comfort.to.kent.earthquake.victims/10573.htm.
- ^ "Mb 4.7 South-East of UK on 28/04/2007 07:18 UTC". European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. http://www.emsc-csem.org/index.php?page=current&sub=recent&evt=20070428_UK.
- ^ "Folkestone Earthquake Press Release". British Geological Survey. http://www.quakes.bgs.ac.uk/earthquakes/reports/folkestone/folkestone_press_release_010507.htm.
- ^ "Recent Earthquakes Reported by BGS http://www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/recent_events/20090303143556.7.html
External links
Coordinates: 51°06′N 1°10′E / 51.10°N 1.17°E
← Earthquakes in 2007 → - 2007–08 Nazko (<4.0)
- Alum Rock (5.6, Oct 30)
- Ağrı (5.0, Jan 21)
- Aisén Fjord (6.7, Apr 21)
- Andreanof Islands (7.2, Dec 19)
- Tocopilla (7.7, Nov 14)
- Chūetsu offshore (6.6, Jul 16)
- Gisborne (6.8, Dec 20)
- Guatemala (6.7, Jun 13)
- Iberian Peninsula (6.1, Feb 12)
- Kent (4.3, Apr 28)
- Kuril Islands (8.1, Jan 13)
- Laos (6.1, May 16)
- Martinique (7.4, Nov 29)
- Noto (6.9, Mar 25)
- Peru†‡ (8.0, Aug 15)
- Solomon Islands† (8.1, Apr 2)
- 1st Sumatra† (6.4, Mar 6)
- 2nd Sumatra (8.5, Sep 12)
- Mariana Islands (7.2, Oct 31)
- Tonga (7.9, Dec 9)
- Puchuncaví (6.7, Dec 15)
† indicates earthquake resulting at least 30 deaths
‡ indicates the deadliest earthquake of the yearCategories:- 2007 earthquakes
- 2007 in England
- Earthquakes in the United Kingdom
- Disasters in Kent
- Shepway
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