Just before 1am this morning the biggest earthquake in the UK for nearly 25years has shaken homes across large parts of the country.
People in Newcastle,Yorkshire,London,Cumbria,the Midlands,Norfolk and also parts of Wales felt the tremor. The British Geological Survey said the epicentre of the 5.3 magnitude quake was in Lincolnshire.
One person in Wales was injured when the chimney fell through the roof of his house it seems he has a broken pelvis.

Carnie (Mike) was this in your area-hope everything is ok with you.
Nothing here in Scotland.
Emmy

Yes, let us know, Mike! Egads! I never thought of the UK as an earthquake zone.

OK I just got an email from Mike, so I know he's ok and everything is working. Let's hope he checks in soon and confirms.

Glad Mike's ok...............and for anyone else here at Gente that may have family there.......my prayers are with you all.

I am so glad Mike is ok. I also hope and pray every one is ok.

It does seem to have had quite a wide 'shock area'. But I had to smile at this headline this morning.."

"Massive earthquake hits Rasen"

That's Market Rasen by the way... It was 5.2 on the Richter - and while it's 'quite' strong, it's not an earthquake but a tremor!
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Don't get me wrong, a 5.2 burst for 10 seconds is still pretty scary and buildings should be evacuated immediately as there could be further shocks (tremors). I have been in four large tremors over the years in Italy, and they can be very frightening. But the last in December 2004 in the Milan area lasted for 23 seconds and was 5.9 on the scale - those 23 seconds seemed to last a 'life time' and just grabbing a coat and handbag on the way out was (is) all that should ever be done if there is the time. A real quake doesn't give you that opportunity - you just hold on to anything and hope the building isn't going to bury you.

But how many people in the UK know what the 'drill' would be? Very few I imagine... yet fire drills are the norm, so why not - in the light of climate change - aren't quake/tremor evacuations taught in any previously earthquake free zones - anywhere in the world?

There has been lots of reports on the TV today and one expert said that this is not out of the ordinary for Britain that these 'tremors'/'quakes' have been happening for centuries. From photographs that people have sent into the BBC There seems to have been quite a lot of structrual damage done and it was reported that there probably would have been many casualties if this had happened during the day, they said it was very fortunate that it happened at 1 am. According to the news broadcasts very few people realised what was happening some had thought it was a terrorist attack others thought it was a heavy lorry passing close the house. Like what you say Carole very few people in Britain would know what the 'drill' would be if a really big one hit. Maybe its time someone should ask their MP that question.
Emmy

Hi everyone thanks for your concerns, Emmy the 19yr old who was injured lives Wombwell where I live, (not Wales) I was waken by the tremor at about 1am, but as we had some strong gusts of wind earlier in the day, I thought it was that until I turned the TV on in the morning. From what the experts say, Britain does experience these types of tremors about every 30 yrs or so. I think the lad was lucky when the TV showed the size of the Chimney Stack that crashed through the roof pinning him down.
I could do with asking him for this weeks Lottery numbers lol. We have however in North Yorkshire a man who placed a 50p (1$) accumulator bet (one where the winnings of the first horse is put on the second one etc) it was an 8 horse rollover and he won 1 Million Pounds. (2 Million Dollars)
What a Win.

Glad you're ok Mike. Study up on those horses...........I'm sending you some money!!