What is the biggest earthquake Britain has ever had?
The North Sea earthquake of 7 June 1931, with a magnitude of 6.1ML and with an epicentre offshore in the Dogger Bank area (120 km NE of Great Yarmouth), is the largest known earthquake in the UK. The felt area encompassed most of Britain, E of Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, N France, parts of NW Germany, Denmark and SW Norway. Damage in Britain was reported from 71 different places, with the strongest effects at Filey, where the top of a church spire was rotated. Bridlington, Beverley and Hull were also affected, with most of the damage affecting chimneys and plaster. A factory roof is reported to have collapsed at Staines (Surrey) and rocks or cliff collapse occurred at Flamborough Head and Mundesley, Norfolk. The earthquake was reported felt by a number of vessels in the North Sea and a woman in Hull died of a heart attack, apparently as a result of the earthquake.
