Kent (United Kingdom) Earthquake

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Posting Date: April 30, 2007, 1:30:00 PM

A moderate earthquake struck Kent County in south-east England on Saturday, April 28, downing power lines and causing minor damage. The British Geological Survey recorded a magnitude of 4.3 ML, while the US Geological Survey has assigned a magnitude of 4.7 Mw. The British Geological Survey (BSG) said the main shock occurred at 8:18 a.m. local time (07:18 UTC) with an epicenter approximately 12 km (7.5 miles) off the Dover coast, or approximately 25 km (15 miles) south of Canterbury. The tremor lasted between 10 and 15 seconds. It caused damage to masonry structures and roofing, toppling chimneys and producing cracks in walls. According to the latest BBC report, 474 properties have experienced damage, 73 of which are considered too dangerous to be inhabited. Additionally, 30 properties have been advised to be evacuated, and 64 will require immediate remediation. According to local officials, the town of Folkestone suffered the worst damage and clean-up could take several weeks. Although several thousand homes lost power initially, electrical supply has since been restored to most areas, according to EDF Energy Networks. Earthquakes of this size occur in mainland UK about every 7-8 years. The Kent earthquake is the largest recorded event in Britain since a 4.7 magnitude earthquake hit Dudley in 2002. Other large earthquakes occurred in this region in 1382 (magnitude 5.8), 1580 (magnitude 5.8) and 1776 (magnitude 4.1). AIR has sent a post-disaster team to survey the damage; however, AIR does not expect significant insured losses from this event.

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Posting Date: April 30, 2007, 1:30:00 PM