GEOTHERMAL FRACKQUAKE
4th February 2024,
By Zhara Simpson
BBC News
British Geological SurveyPeople said they 'heard a distant rumbling like thunder' last week
A "faint rumbling" was felt across parts of Cornwall last week, according to the British Geological Survey.
It said the small tremors were recorded as a magnitude of 1.6 on the Richter Scale.
Small tremors were felt in the Helston and Constantine areas on 25 January, according to local people.
Davie Galloway, from the British Geological Survey, said people "heard a distant rumbling like thunder" that was "like a distant artillery explosion".
'Tectonic plates'
He said it appeared to have been caused by "swarm of similarly-sized earthquakes".
"In general earthquakes are a result of the build-up of stress in the crust resulting from the movement of tectonic plates.
"This stress is suddenly released by movement on a fault in the rock.
"This sudden movement changes the stress and can result in further earthquakes.
"These secondary earthquakes are referred to as aftershocks if they occur after a large earthquake and are smaller than it.
"However, sometimes, a 'swarm' of similarly-sized earthquakes occur as a small area adjusts to stress change and this seems to be the case in Cornwall."
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Earthquake scale, frequency and damage2.5 or less: Millions each year. Usually not felt, but some can be recorded by scientists.
2.5 to 5.4: 500,000 per year, Often felt, but only causes minor damage.
5.5 to 6.0: 1000 per year. Can cause slight damage to buildings and other structures.
6.1 to 6.9: 100 per year. May cause a lot of damage in very populated areas.
7.0 to 7.9: 10-15. Major earthquake. Serious damage.
8.0 or greater: Once every year or two. This is a very large earthquake which can totally destroy large areas.
Source: USGHS/Modified Mercalli Intensity
West Cornwall has experienced a series of tremors in recent months, according to researchers.
In November 2023 an earthquake shook the Mounts Bay area, near Penzance.
Seismologists at the British Geological Survey recorded the 2.7 magnitude quake.
People were woken up to a loud bang from St Just in the west of the county to Redruth in mid Cornwall.
Mr Galloway clarified that Cornwall does not have more earthquakes than the rest of the UK.
A "faint rumbling" was felt across parts of Cornwall last week, according to the British Geological Survey.
It said the small tremors were recorded as a magnitude of 1.6 on the Richter Scale.
Small tremors were felt in the Helston and Constantine areas on 25 January, according to local people.
Davie Galloway, from the British Geological Survey, said people "heard a distant rumbling like thunder" that was "like a distant artillery explosion".
'Tectonic plates'
He said it appeared to have been caused by "swarm of similarly-sized earthquakes".
"In general earthquakes are a result of the build-up of stress in the crust resulting from the movement of tectonic plates.
"This stress is suddenly released by movement on a fault in the rock.
"This sudden movement changes the stress and can result in further earthquakes.
"These secondary earthquakes are referred to as aftershocks if they occur after a large earthquake and are smaller than it.
"However, sometimes, a 'swarm' of similarly-sized earthquakes occur as a small area adjusts to stress change and this seems to be the case in Cornwall."
ADVERTISEMENT
Earthquake scale, frequency and damage2.5 or less: Millions each year. Usually not felt, but some can be recorded by scientists.
2.5 to 5.4: 500,000 per year, Often felt, but only causes minor damage.
5.5 to 6.0: 1000 per year. Can cause slight damage to buildings and other structures.
6.1 to 6.9: 100 per year. May cause a lot of damage in very populated areas.
7.0 to 7.9: 10-15. Major earthquake. Serious damage.
8.0 or greater: Once every year or two. This is a very large earthquake which can totally destroy large areas.
Source: USGHS/Modified Mercalli Intensity
West Cornwall has experienced a series of tremors in recent months, according to researchers.
In November 2023 an earthquake shook the Mounts Bay area, near Penzance.
Seismologists at the British Geological Survey recorded the 2.7 magnitude quake.
People were woken up to a loud bang from St Just in the west of the county to Redruth in mid Cornwall.
Mr Galloway clarified that Cornwall does not have more earthquakes than the rest of the UK.
‘Frightening’ earthquake at Cornwall’s Eden Project forces halt to drilling
Alarm among nearby residents as tremor beneath geothermal testing site causes homes to shake
Emma Gatten,
ENVIRONMENT EDITOR
10 March 2022 •
Related Topics
Eden Project,
Cornwall,
Energy,
Geothermal energy
The mini earthquake at the Eden Project registered a magnitude of 1.7 CREDIT: Getty Images
A scheme to provide heating for the Eden Project in Cornwall from geothermal sources has been halted after an earthquake during testing at the site...
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