Midlands earthquake history: 20 years of shakes

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Uppingham, in Rutland, where a 3.2 magnitude earthquake was felt this morning Credit: ITV News Central

Rutland was hit by the strongest earthquake to hit the East Midlands in 13 years this morning.

The quake measured 3.2 in magnitude and powered from a depth of 2.5 miles below the surface, rocking the Oakham area of Rutland at 7.07am.

There have been a number of earthquakes reported in the Midlands in the last two decades, the strongest of which occurred in Lincolnshire in 2008 and measured 5.2 on the Richter scale.

Top ten strongest earthquakes to hit the Midlands in 20 years:

  • Market Rasen, Lincolnshire (February 27th 2008): Magnitude 5.2

  • Dudley, West Midlands (September 23rd 2002): Magnitude 4.8

  • Budbrooke, Warwickshire (September 23rd 2000): Magnitude 4.2

  • Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire (October 29th 2001): Magnitude 4.1

  • Bromyard, Herefordshire (October 27th 2008): Magnitude 3.6

  • Oakham, Rutland (April 17th 2014): Magnitude 3.2

  • Staffordshire (May 6th 1996): Magnitude 3.0

  • Loughborough, Leicestershire (January 19th 2013): Magnitude 2.9

  • Wolstanton, Staffordshire (June 8th 2005): Magnitude 2.6

  • Ludlow, Shropshire (June 1st 2012): Magnitude 2.5

Top of the list, Lincolnshire's great quake of 2008 remains the biggest in the UK since 1984!

Specific to the East Midlands, Melton Mowbray's 4.1 magnitude tremor was the strongest in the region for 200 years.

Whilst in the West Midlands, Warwickshire's earthquake measuring 4.2 in 2000 was the strongest there since 1991.

A seismologist for the British Geological Survey says such tremors happen around three times a year in the UK.

Davie Galloway said:

Today's earthquake measured 3.2 on the richter scale Credit: BGS

Today's quake could be felt as far away as Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, 28 miles away from its epicentre. But most people feeling its force were within 15 miles; in parts of Oakham, Stamford and Kettering.

Mr Galloway went on to ease people's minds, saying:

Japan's most powerful earthquake was the 8.9 magnitude tremor in March 2011, which struck about 400km (250 miles) north-east of Tokyo and resulted in the deaths of over 15,000 people; significantly smaller than anything the Midlands has experienced.