5.3? call that an earthquake?

[Parihaka]

Pah!

Costly payout' after earthquake

Chimney damage to two houses in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.
Insurance claims are expected to run to millions of pounds

Moment quake hit
Householders are clearing up and assessing the damage in the aftermath of the biggest earthquake in the UK for nearly 25 years.

Insurance experts said claims for structural damage and broken belongings were set to run into tens of millions of pounds.

People across the UK reported feeling the tremor just before 0100 GMT.

The epicentre of the 5.2 magnitude quake was near Market Rasen in Lincolnshire.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) said it had received reports of people having felt the tremor from as far as Bangor in Northern Ireland, Haarlem in Holland, Plymouth and Edinburgh.

Scientists said while the tremor was small on a global scale, they described the earthquake as a "rare beast" and "significant" for the UK.

They said they believed the earthquake could have been caused by an old fault line in the East Midlands rupturing.

Norwich Union, the UK's largest general insurer, said it began to receive calls within hours of the tremor.


PREVIOUS QUAKES IN THE UK
April 2007 - Folkestone, Kent (magnitude 4.3)
December 2006 - Dumfries and Galloway (3.5)
September 2002 - Dudley, West Midlands (5.0)
October 2001 - Melton Mowbray (4.1)
September 2000 - Warwick (4.2)
April 1990 - Bishop's Castle, Shropshire (5.1)
July 1984 - Nefyn, north Wales (5.4)
June 1931 - in North Sea near Great Yarmouth (6.1)

Q&A: UK's small tremors
Student injured in collapse
Jason Harris, senior claims manager, said the firm had received a number of calls overnight and expected further claims to be made when the extent of the damage became more clear.

He said: "At the moment these are reports of mainly minor damage such as tiles off roofs, breakages inside the homes and brick walls collapsing."

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said claims were "likely to run into the low tens of millions of pounds."

But a spokesman said: "One event of this nature will not push up premiums across the board.

"Insurers expect to deal with these incidents."

'Flew across floor'

People across the country reported how they had been woken by the "enormous roar" of the earthquake, which caused houses to shake and masonry to fall from buildings.

A 19-year-old student, David Bates, suffered a broken pelvis when part of a chimney stack crashed through his ceiling and onto his bed as he watched television at his home in Wombwell, South Yorkshire.

A householder surveys the damage to his home in South Yorkshire
Many homes suffered structural damage

Lincolnshire Police said they had received more than 200 calls from concerned residents.

In Market Rasen, the Lincolnshire town nearest the epicentre, one resident spoke of being thrown from his bed by the force of the tremor.

Rex Clarke said: "It was like I was made of cotton wool - I just flew across the floor.

"It woke me up with a tremendous roar. I thought I was going crackers."

In Gainsborough, Red Cross volunteers were called out to provide "emotional and practical support" to about 14 people whose homes and cars were damaged.

Anita Moore, fire and emergency support co-ordinator, said: "The first incident we went to was an elderly lady whose property was badly damaged.

"There was a lot of rubble on the floor and the fire service was concerned about her chimney.

"She was really shaken up but we were able to comfort her and gave her advice on how to contact her insurance company."

The team was also called to help a man whose chimney had fallen off his house. Nearby houses were evacuated because of concerns about structural damage to the properties.

Meanwhile, householders in Greater Manchester flooded the fire service with calls.

Northamptonshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Norfolk Police also reported being flooded with hundreds of calls about the tremor.

[Samudra]

and they woke me up with a ring to find out if I was still alive

[RustyBattleship]

Originally Posted by Samudra

and they woke me up with a ring to find out if I was still alive

Here in California, we usually sleep through a 4.0. 5.0 is rather noticable and it's real interesting to watch our wood-framed houses twitst and rack while compensating for the earth movement. Big buildings are more fun because they will rock back and forth on their roller pads in the direction of the initial shock waves then rock another direction while they re-center themselves back on the pads.

6.5 on up worries us though. After the 1994 Northridge Earthquake (7+) I volunteered to work at a Disaster Assistance Center in Van Nuys helping victims fill out their applications for disaster relief, new places to live, replacements of their cars after their apartment buildings fell down on them, etc.

We would be out in a circus tent erected just for our "office" and a 4.0 or 4.5 aftershock would roll through once in a while. Several people in there would go "OOOOH" or "Whoa". I just kept working on filling out an applicant's claim form. She looked at me and asked, "Didn't this scare you?" I answered, "I've lived in California for 43 years and barely notice them anymore."

Of course, that was more to put some self-confidence back in her than anything else. Of course I notice a 4.5 on up (grown numb to less than that) but I wasn't going to admit it.

First earthquake I ever felt was when I was 11 years old and in 5th grade back in Milwaukee. It was during our quiet reading period when the ground roared for a few seconds. There was no rocking back and forth and we assumed that the Allis Chalmers plant, a mile to the south of us, must have blown up.

The first earthquake I really was in was when I was 8 years old and visiting my aunt in Bremerton, Washington. It shook so hard she wasn't able to give an injection to a patient (she was a nurse) until they were sure the shaking would stop. But I was with my grandmother and we were on a bus coming back from shopping. The roads in Bremerton (at that time) were so bad nobody had any idea there was an earthquake. Not even the driver.

But a 5.2 in a country that is NOT on the "Rim of Fire" as Bremerton, San Francisco and Long Beach are? THAT would really get my attention.

My sincere sympathies to those who have suffered the quake and as a former volunteer who tried to help others recover from a major earthquake I know what you are feeling right now.

[jame$thegreat]

Another reason not to live in California, aside from the democrats...

Seriously though, I hope everyone is OK.

[T_igger_cs_30]

I will never forget when I arrived in New Zealand at the School of Armour in Waioru,to take up my post as an exchange Gunnery Instructor( a great tour cannot talk about a lot of it in case Mrs Tigger hears ) I was used to seeing "fire orders" displayed in buildings, as I was shown to my room in the WO's and Sgts mess I saw on the wall "Earthquake orders" and my host at that moment explained to me always look out the window in a morning and check the volcano (Mt Ruapehu, I think please correct me if my memory is fading Pari ) anyway he said if there was smoke coming out the top we are ok...............effing great I thinks to myself, the wife always says I could sleep through an earthquake after a good night out and drink...........now I was panicking I was going to find out

[Parihaka]

Originally Posted by T_igger_cs_30

I will never forget when I arrived in New Zealand at the School of Armour in Waioru,to take up my post as an exchange Gunnery Instructor( a great tour cannot talk about a lot of it in case Mrs Tigger hears ) I was used to seeing "fire orders" displayed in buildings, as I was shown to my room in the WO's and Sgts mess I saw on the wall "Earthquake orders" and my host at that moment explained to me always look out the window in a morning and check the volcano (Mt Ruapehu, I think please correct me if my memory is fading Pari ) anyway he said if there was smoke coming out the top we are ok...............effing great I thinks to myself, the wife always says I could sleep through an earthquake after a good night out and drink...........now I was panicking I was going to find out

Yep, Ruapehu is the one Waiouru is closest to.
It's one of three (Tongariro, Ngauruhoe are the other two) which are side vents to Taupo, the main caldera.
You know how Waiouru is on the south side of the desert road plateau? Where the road climbs steeply to the north?
Most of that material of the plateau is the initial ejecta formed in two explosions by the Taupo caldera, one 26,000 years ago and the more recent and violent in 181ad. Both the Romans and Chinese recorded the stratospheric ash clouds from that one, and what is now known as lake Taupo is the vent. (no doubt you visited Taupo while you were there?)
I stood on the flanks of Ruapehu during the last sizeable eruption in 96, it was absolutely awesome and thank god was only a fart in comparison to the big eruptions.

[T_igger_cs_30]

Originally Posted by Parihaka

Yep, Ruapehu is the one Waiouru is closest to.
It's one of three (Tongariro, Ngauruhoe are the other two) which are side vents to Taupo, the main caldera.
You know how Waiouru is on the south side of the desert road plateau? Where the road climbs steeply to the north?
Most of that material of the plateau is the initial ejecta formed in two explosions by the Taupo caldera, one 26,000 years ago and the more recent and violent in 181ad. Both the Romans and Chinese recorded the stratospheric ash clouds from that one, and what is now known as lake Taupo is the vent. (no doubt you visited Taupo while you were there?)
I stood on the flanks of Ruapehu during the last sizeable eruption in 96, it was absolutely awesome and thank god was only a fart in comparison to the big eruptions.

I found it an amazing place I truly did, and yes the earth moved a few times for me in that area......................not due to the volcano I might add .........shhhhhhhhh here comes Mrs Tigger.......

[Parihaka]

I have heard the wenches from around those parts are an enthusiastic bunch

[rj1]

Originally Posted by RustyBattleship

But a 5.2 in a country that is NOT on the "Rim of Fire" as Bremerton, San Francisco and Long Beach are? THAT would really get my attention.

Just wait til the New Madrid Seismic Zone near Memphis has an 7.0 or something. It's due supposedly. The good thing about California when it has earthquakes is that half the affected area is ocean, where no people live. Not the case with New Madrid.