English Channel earthquake | Magnitude 3.9 | 14 July 2011
| Date | 14 July 2011 |
|---|---|
| Origin time | 06:59 10.9s UTC |
| Lat/Lon | 50.122° North / -0.743° West |
| Depth | 10 km |
| Magnitude | 3.9 ML |
| Locality | English Channel, 85 km south-east of Portsmouth |
The British Geological Survey have detected an earthquake of magnitude 3.9 at 06:59 UTC (07:59 BST) this morning (14 July 2011) located approximately 80 km south-south-east of Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Several residents from the Worthing, West Sussex, area have reported having felt this event, one describing 'it only lasted a few seconds'.
‘This is the largest earthquake in this area, within 25 km, since a magnitude 4.5 event in 1734.
Historically, there have been two other significant events nearby (30–40 km away); a magnitude 5.0 earthquake in 1878 and a magnitude 4.3 earthquake in 1750.
In the UK we experience a earthquake of this magnitude approximately every two years.’
Contact
Contact ukeqs@bgs.ac.uk for further information.
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