How did an earthquake occur in Kent?

Question

As far as I know, earthquakes happen when two tectonic plates rub together. How did an earthquake occur in Kent then??

Answer 1

There are hundreds of earth quakes in the UK each year, it's just that usually they are too small to feel. Yes the main plate edges usually cause the big quakes eg along the san Andreas fault etc, but there are lots of smaller fault lines running through the rest of the earths surface. Its just that there not shown on the geological maps, but they are there....

Answer 2

There are lots of little earthquakes in England. Most are so weak that they go unnoticed by the public. The underground area is quite stable in the area. Most quakes are in the West Midlands - a large fault running down the side of Birmingham and two active faults along the border with Wales. But as I said, lots of litte shakes that you wouldn't notice. (3.5 at the most)
The biggest quake to hit the area was the one back in 2002. It was a whopping 4.8.

Now, there have been stronger ones but in the United Kingdom.

6.1 biggest ever recorded, about 120km off Great Yarmouth, 1931
5.4 biggest on land in Lleyn, north Wales, 1984
5.1 in Bishop's Castle, Shropshire, in 1990

Answer 3

The UK can have earthquakes. There are minor faultlines. Quite a few years ago in 1993, there was an earthquake measuring 3.0 on the richter scale in a town called Grange-Over-Sands which is fairly near to where I live.

If you go on the following link, you can see historical earthquakes that have happened in the UK.

http://www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk

Answer 4

It happened about 7 miles south east of Dover and 5 miles down under the English channel
Earthquakes can happen when a build up of preasure is great enough for the surrounding rock to move.as we dont really know what is down there then you are partly right but preasure build ups can occur anywhere.We have at least 2 minor quakes a week in the UK

Answer 5

Firstly it's got bog all to do with lay lines. They are to do with paranormal activity not geological. It's probably got more to do with the plates rubbing together in the middle of the ocean and the nearest built up area being in Kent.

Answer 6

There are minor fault lines and aged fault limes in the world other than the continential plates. Earthquakes have occured at such unlikely places as Boston and Charleston, SC in historical times

Answer 7

Visit my slide show to know more on earthquakes. The Leeds university refused to find the usage of my quake alarm when I approached them in the year 2002. I am the one issued the warning 2 hours before Tsunami struck our Indian coast. I have explained about my invention of quake alarm in your T.V Channel in the year 2002 itself. The seismologist never realized that one day their country may also be affected by earthquakes. That is why even though I was advised by the consulate of England to meet the person in Leeds university they simply refused to give appointment to me. That is the case here also. Inferiority complex is more than safety of our people.Visit this sites.
My Community in Orkut
http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=26068261
Presentation slides
http://asia.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/quake

Answer 8

Cos the ferry companies were worried bout threat from Eurostar. Don't dismiss it. I was in Texas at same time as J.F.K got whacked by Osama Bin Laden!!

Answer 9

As I live in Kent I watched intensely the news and some chap from US said that lay-lines can pop up anywhere. So maybe one has popped up?

Answer 10

There are earth quakes going on all over the world, it wasjust asmall tremmor.