The UK has a history of seismic activity – with several hundreds of ground shaking events taking place across the country in 2025, with 2026 seemingly following that trend
The UK has been hit by another earthquake – with horrific devastation left in its wake . . . kind of. Yesterday, we reported on one UK village being struck twice by earthquakes inside one minute.
Chard in Somerset experienced two earthquakes within a minute on February 8, 2026 – a magnitude 1.2 tremor followed by a magnitude 2.0 quake, the strongest recorded in the UK that year. Both quakes originated about 8 km deep, caused no reported damage, and illustrate the UK’s increasing frequency of low-magnitude seismic events.
Unbeknownst to many, the UK has a history of seismic activity – with several hundreds of ground shaking events taking place across the country in 2025.
And now another one has taken place in Silverdale Lancashire, with reports of “rumblings” felt in three separate areas – Silverdale, Arnside and Carnforth.
According to the British Geological Survey, it happened at 2.10am on February 10, at a depth of 4km and registered a 1.2 on the Richter Scale.
Reports described how one local “thought a bin had fallen over or door had slammed shut,” while another said that it “felt like a rumbling and a tremor” and “a weak shaking”.
Once again, no damage was reported, but this was the 33rd such earthquake in the UK so far this year.
Last year, the Daily Star explored why the UK appears to be turning into an earthquake hotspot. Roger Musson, a former Head of Seismic Hazard and Archives at the British Geological Society, explained that the trend is largely linked to how the strongest recorded quakes are measured and interpreted.
He said: “There is a simple rule of thumb – for every decrease of one unit of magnitude, one expects a tenfold increase of number. So if the tectonic situation of the UK results in one 3.5 magnitude earthquake on average every year, then typically one should get ten of 2.5, 100 of 1.5 and so on.”
“Most of these will be too weak or too remote to be noticed by people, but can be detected by instruments.”
If you feel or hear and earthquake near you, get in touch by emailing adam.cailler@reachplc.com.
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