HC Deb 07 November 1989 vol 159 cc578-81W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what research is being carried out into earthquakes occurring in the United Kingdom;

(2) if he will list by location and date the number of earthquakes that have been recorded during the last 10 years; what damage was recorded; on what seismographic scale; and what research is being carried out by his Department into earthquakes.

Mr. Jackson

Research into earthquakes in the United Kingdom is carried out by the British Geological Survey, which is funded from the Department's grant to the Natural Environment Research Council. Specialist scientists, based at over 80 sites in the country, monitor current seismic activity. They also research historical records to identify the recurrence rate of the larger earthquakes.

The following list sets out the information requested for all earthquakes recorded in the United Kingdom over the last 10 years, having a magnitude of 2.5 or more on the Richter scale.

Date HrMnSecs Latitude Longitude Depth (km) Richter magnitude Locality Effects
14 August 1980 2051 53.1 -2.2 — 2.6 Stoke Coalfield
9 November 1980 001101.5 53.10 -2.28 — 3.2 Talke area Felt, no damage.
9 November 1980 112833.0 53.06 -2.28 5.0 2.5 Talke area Felt, no damage.
1 December 1980 142051.9 56.25 -3.74 5.0 2.6 Ochil Hills
13 December 1980 103101.4 55.02 -2.86 6.0 3.5 Longtown Minor damage, plaster cracks.
1 January 1981 212126.2 57.47 -0.18 15.0 3.2 North Sea
25 February 1981 203256.8 50.11 -5.17 5.0 3.5 Constantine
6April 1981 1752 53.08 -2.26 3.0 2.5 Talke area
24 May 1981 0004 53.03 -2.19 0.0 3.1 Stoke Coalfield
2 June 1981 1102 53.03 -1.14 — 2.7 Nottingham Felt, no damage.
9 June 1981 184411.3 57.12 -5.50 — 2.6 Kintail
12 June 1981 073642.7 50.38 -4.33 8.0 2.5 Liskeard
5 August 1981 203409.6 53.08 -2.27 4.0 2.8 Talke area
18 October 1981 160839.2 54.69 -1.66 — 2.5 Bishop Aukland
27 October 1981 051344.1 54.15 0.30 23.7 3.7 Flamborough Head Felt, no damage.
9 November 1981 0310 51.65 -2.98 — 2.7 Cwmbran Felt, no damage.
27 December 1981 153624.7 59.21 -2.36 12.0 2.5 Off Cape Wrath
4April 1982 214346.3 51.99 -3.47 5.0 2.6 Pont-Faen, Powys
9 April 1982 143604.3 53.06 -2.22 0.0 2.7 Stoke-on-Trent Felt, no damage.
19 July 1982 133352.2 51.15 -1.06 1.4 3.0 Near Basingstoke, Hants Moderate shaking, no damage.
9 August 1982 112505.8 53.00 -3.94 8.4 2.6 Nr Ffestiniog, Gwynedd Felt, no damage.
27 October 1982 235733.6 57.23 -5.46 2.5 3.0 Ratagan forest Moderate shaking, no damage.
28 November 1983 024613.4 53.55 -2.65 6.9 2.6 Wigan, Manchester —
16 February 1984 101546.4 55.10 -3.59 3.0 2.6 Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway Moderate shaking, no damage.
22 March 1984 120956.5 53.30 -0.95 25.8 3.2 East Retford, Notts Felt, no damage.
3 April 1984 142713.2 50.61 -2.47 12.9 3.1 Nr Weymouth, Dorset —
15 April 1984 210534.9 52.41 -3.25 12.7 3.3 Felindre, Powys Minor damage, plaster cracks.
30 May 1984 025358.7 52.94 -1.13 15.0 3.1 Nottingham Minor damage, plaster cracks.
4 June 1984 141659.5 53.79 -0.90 10.4 3.0 Selby, N Yorks —
19 July 1984 065613.6 52.98 -4.43 18.0 5.4 Lleyn peninsula NW Wales Damage to chimneys, roof tiles.
19 July 1984 094208.4 52.97 -4.16 20.0 2.9 Lleyn peninsula NW Wales Moderate shaking, no damage.
19 July 1984 205318.8 52.96 -4.22 20.0 2.5 Lleyn peninsula NW Wales Moderate shaking, no damage.
20 July 1984 152613.1 52.97 -4.23 20.0 2.5 Lleyn peninsula NW Wales Moderate shaking, no damage.
23 July 1984 082927.4 52.99 -4.42 15.4 2.8 Lleyn peninsula NW Wales Moderate shaking, no damage.
29 July 1984 201757.3 52.98 -4.44 21.2 4.0 Lleyn peninsula NW Wales Moderate shaking, no damage.
29 July 1984 204522.1 52.96 -4.38 20.2 2.5 Lleyn peninsula NW Wales Moderate shaking, no damage.
30 July 1984 151552.1 52.97 -4.38 20.0 2.8 Lleyn peninsula NW Wales Felt, no damage.
2 August 1984 011150.3 59.76 1.79 5.4 2.8 North Sea —
4 August 1984 034411.8 52.97 -4.40 24.1 2.7 Lleyn Peninsula, North West Wales Moderate shaking, no damage.
6 August 1984 072220.7 52.95 -4.33 24.7 3.6 Lleyn Peninsula, North West Wales Moderate shaking, no damage.
18 August 1984 113727.7 52.96 -4.38 21.0 4.3 Lleyn Peninsula, North West Wales Moderate shaking, no damage.
13 October 1984 132719.5 53.74 -2.38 14.0 3.2 Accrington, Lancashire Moderate shaking, no damage.
15 April 1985 190209.5 51.43 1.56 1.5 3.0 Offshore Ramsgate —
1 June 1985 224745.2 53.59 -0.39 8.7 2.6 Near Scunthorpe —
21 August 1985 032409.3 51.94 -3.23 15.4 2.5 Black mountains, Powys —
16 September 1985 205014.3 56.04 -4.91 6.1 3.5 Ardentinny, Strathclyde Minor damage, plaster cracks.
16 November 1985 191115.6 53.82 -2.07 18.7 2.6 Hebden bridge, West Yorkshire Moderate shaking, no damage.
18 November 1985 134246.8 52.02 -0.97 11.1 2.5 Buckingham, Buckinghamshire —
1 December 1985 171851.9 57.03 -5.77 4.2 3.7 Near Mallaig, Highland Moderate shaking, no damage.
2 December 1985 174032.7 51.28 -0.82 4.4 2.7 Fleet, Hampshire —
4 January 1986 003430.2 57.76 -5.56 4.2 2.5 Poolewe, Highland Moderate shaking, no damage.
30 January 1986 103256.8 57.00 -5.46 11.8 3.0 Loch Nevis, Highland Felt, no damage.

Date HrMnSecs Latitude Longitude Depth (km) Richter magnitude Locality Effects
15 April 1986 162448.0 52.95 -4.41 23.0 2.7 Lleyn Aftershock Felt, no damage.
21 August 1986 112710.1 55.85 -3.13 0.1 2.5 Rosewell, Lothian Moderate shaking, no damage.
2 September 1986 144759.5 50.11 -5.17 6.2 2.9 Constantine, Cornwall Minor damage, plaster cracks.
29 September 1986 013336.1 56.46 -5.50 22.4 4.2 Oban, Strathclyde Minor damage, plaster cracks
9 October 1986 125527.3 55.85 -3.13 0.2 2.8 Rosewell, Lothian Moderate shaking, no damage
26 December 1986 205008.0 51.90 -1.34 23.5 2.9 Oxford
23 February 1987 020837.7 52.94 -2.43 10.5 2.6 Market Drayton, Shropshire
12 March 1987 092859.0 52.48 -2.44 14.0 2.5 Bridgnorth, Shropshire
20 April 1987 051852.0 59.57 1.78 10.6 2.5 North Sea
1 May 1987 060952.1 52.74 -0.82 10.5 2.7 Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire Moderate shaking, no damage
3 May 1987 224820.8 56.68 -6.24 11.3 2.5 Mull, Highland
4 October 1987 022504.0 58.37 1.49 2.4 2.9 NorthSea
4 October 1987 125828.3 57.98 -5.20 0.4 3.0 Ullapool, Highland Moderate shaking, no damage.
4 October 1987 172816.4 57.97 -5.19 0.5 3.0 Ullapool, Highland Moderate shaking, no damage.
17 October 1987 074438.8 57.93 -5.14 2.0 2.9 Ullapool, Highland Felt, no damage.
17 October 1987 095407.6 57.96 -5.19 4.8 2.5 Ullapool, Highland Felt, no damage.
31 October 1987 032934.9 57.94 -5.12 0.6 2.5 Ullapool, Highland
20 November 1987 030739.3 56.71 -5.71 0.5 2.6 Ardmamurchan, Highland Felt, no damage.
5 December 1987 102258.5 53.49 -1.98 8.8 2.6 Manchester Moderate shaking, no damage.
21 January 1988 152807.8 58.41 1.49 0.6 3.0 North Sea
23 May 1988 061334.5 56.63 -4.45 8.8 2.6 Rannoch Moor, Tayside
3 August 1988 1[...]4824.1 52.95 1.78 5.0 2.9 Southern North Sea
8 August 1988 195931.9 63.68 2.44 20.0 5.6 Northern North Sea Felt on Shetland and Norway
12 September 1988 142310.6 54.41 -2.98 15.0 3.2 Ambleside, Cumbria Minor damage, plaster cracks.
12 September 1988 142329.3 54.40 -3.01 7.6 3.0 Ambleside, Cumbria Minor damage, plaster cracks.
23 October 1988 030155.1 51.24 -3.17 17.1 2.8 Bridgwater, Somerset
13 November 1988 232050.9 59.80 -0.46 29.2 2.9 East of Shetland Felt, no damage.
10 December 1988 100918.8 56.09 -5.19 4.2 2.7 Loch Fyne, Strathclyde
1989: None exceeding 2.5 Richer to date