Tracking a tremor: Britain suffers worst quake in quarter of a century

AN EARTHQUAKE measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale hit the UK early yesterday morning, resulting in at least one injury and damage likely to exceed £10 million (€13 million) according to the Association of British Insurers.

An earthquake on the same scale could happen here but a tsunami would cause much more damage, an Irish earthquake expert has warned.

Tom Blake, experimental officer with the school of cosmic physics at the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies, said Ireland's geological structure meant that it was never likely to experience earthquakes of a very high magnitude.

However, it would be more exposed if a tsunami originated in the Atlantic Ocean, he said.

One such tsunami off Portugal in 1755 resulted in very high waves on the Cork coast within hours. Last Thursday the Irish Seismic Network recorded an earthquake measuring 2.4 on the Richter scale at 2.40am in Donegal.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times