Have earthquakes caused deaths in Britain?
YES. Eleven people are known to have died as the result of British earthquakes. Six were killed by falling stones, two fell from upper floors, two died of shock and one committed suicide. Details are summarised below:
| Date | Epicentre | Magnitude | Number of deaths, Place, Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Apr 1580 | Dover Straits | >6 | 2, London, falling masonry |
| 15 Jul 1757 | Penzance | 4.5 | 1, Penryn, fell out window |
| 7 Sep 1801 | Comrie | 4.5 | 2, near Edinburgh, falling masonry |
| 18 Sep 1833 | Chichester | 3 | 1, Cocking, falling rock |
| 22 Apr 1884 | Colchester | 4.5 | 1, Wivenhoe, shock, (uncertain)
1, Manningtree, suicide |
| 1 Feb 1915 | Conisbrough | < 3 | 1, Conisbrough, Falling rock |
| 7 Jun 1931 | North Sea | 5.6 | 1, Hull, Shock? |
| 12 Dec 1940 | Porthmadog | 4.7 | 1, Criccieth, Fell downstairs |
Magnitudes are ML (Richter local magnitude); where estimated from macroseismics, in some cases, they are only given as approximate values.
