East Midlands earthquake measured 3.8 on
Richter scale


An earthquake which hit the East Midlands is estimated to have
measured 3.8 on the Richter scale.

Its epicentre was on the boundary between Leicestershire and
Nottinghamshire.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service says it has received a
report that a chimney stack collapsed in Melton Mowbray. Two
other buildings in Coalville and Burbage, both Leicestershire,
have also been damaged.

A geophysicist from the British Geological Survey says 3.8 is the
initial estimate for the quake which hit at around 4.20pm on
Sunday.

Russ Evans told Ananova earthquakes of that magnitude
normally strike the UK once every 18 months.

But there was one which reached 4.2 on the Richter scale last
September in Warwick.

He warned there may be smaller tremors in the East Midlands in
the coming days.

He says it was probably caused by tectonic strain due to the
development of the Alps. "We are right on the fringe of that
activity," he said. "There's no reason to think the rate of
earthquakes has changed in the UK."

The last earthquake of a similar size to hit Leicestershire was at
Uppingham in 1750.

Nottinghamshire Police urged members of the public not to ring
them, simply to report they had felt the tremor.

Story filed: 18:29 Sunday 28th October 2001

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