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Recent tremors in Britain are not precursors of a larger earthquake, according to Clare Nasir
At 8.45am on the morning of 21st October 2002, a tremor was felt across Manchester. It measured 3.2 on the richter scale and was 500 times weaker than the Dudley earthquake on 22nd September 2002, which measured 5.0.
However since Monday there have been 34 tremors measuring between 1.4 to 3.9 on the Richter scale. The quake was felt in Salford, Clayton, Blackley, Tafford, Tameside, Gorton, Stockport, Bury, Cheetham Hill and the city centre.
So are we on the verge of more powerful earthquakes?
Experts at the British Geological Survey have reassured local residents that there is no need to be unduly concerned even though this is an unusual event.
It is not a precursor to a large earthquake.
Earthquake facts: why Britain is not at risk
- Britain sits in the middle of continental plate not on the fringe of a major fault line, like San Francisco. A fault line is where two continental plates meet.
- A tremor of 4.0 is a million times smaller in magnitude than 7.0, which is the strength of earthquakes along a major fault line.
- What people in Manchester felt were movements within the Earth's crust. This is quite normal and happens all the time; there are around 200 to 300 a year although the frequency of the tremors in one region over a short period of time is more unusual but still occurs every few years. In a given year only 10% are usually felt.
- In recent years the largest earthquake measured 5.1 on the Richter scale, and occurred on April 2nd 1990 at Bishops Castle in the Welsh Borders. Dudley a month ago was of similar intensity.
- There have been 3 deaths in this country from earthquakes in the last 100 years.
- Seismic activity is monitored continually across the UK.
