UK’s biggest earthquake: The day a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the North Sea

The Dogger Bank earthquake remains the strongest tremor ever recorded in the UK

An earthquake rattled homes across northwest England last night, sparking dozens of reports from startled residents. The British Geological Survey (BGS) confirmed the 3.3-magnitude tremor struck at 11.23pm (December 3).

The quake was recorded off the coast of Silverdale, near Carnforth in Lancashire, at a depth of 1.86 miles. Tremors felt in Lancashire and the Lake District, with reports as far far south as Blackpool and Cleveleys.

A tremor between magnitude 3.0-3.9 is defined as ‘weak’ on the Richter scale – and police confirmed that no injuries or damage as a result of the earthquake have been reported.

But how strong can earthquakes get in the UK – and what’s the highest magnitude quake ever recorded here?

Dogger Bank earthquake

On June 7, 1931, the largest known British earthquake hit near the Dogger Bank – a large sandbank in a shallow area of the North Sea about 100 kilometres (60 miles) off the east coast of England.

The BGS says a magnitude of 6.1 was recorded, which is a ‘strong’ earthquake on the Richter scale. Tremors were felt across most of the UK and the east of Ireland, reaching the Netherlands, Belgium, the north of France, parts of northwest Germany, Denmark and southwest Norway.

The earthquake hit far enough offshore that it wasn’t hugely destructive, but the BGS said 71 different places reported damage, with the worst-hit area in Filey, North Yorkshire, where the top of a church spire was rotated.

According to the BGS, Bridlington, Beverley and Hull were also affected, with most of the damage affecting chimneys and plaster. A factory roof was also said to have collapsed in Surrey, with rocks and cliff collapsing in Flamborough Head and Mundesley, Norfolk.

READ MORE: Why earthquakes happen in the UK as 3.3-magnitude quake hits North West

However, a woman in the Hull area is reported to have died from a heart attack, which the BGS said is to have been caused by the earthquake.

There were even reports of a small, non-destructive tsunami hitting the east coast of England after the quake.

The UK’s most destructive earthquake

The most damaging earthquake in the UK was in Colchester area in 1884, when 1200 buildings needed repairs.

The BGS said there was considerable damage to churches, including the top of a spire falling, brick walls and chimney collapsing, often falling through roofs.

With a magnitude of 4.6, the quake doesn’t place in the top 10 strongest earthquakes to hit the UK, despite being the most damaging.

The 10 strongest UK earthquakes

Significant earthquakes have been felt all across the UK. The below BGS map shows where all the strongest earthquakes – of a magnitude greater than 4 – have shook, with red pins showing instrumentally recorded earthquakes and yellow pins showing historical earthquakes.

Based on magnitude, here are the 10 strongest earthquakes felt in the UK, according to the BGS:

1. North Sea (Dogger Bank) – 7/6/1931 – 6.1
2. Dover Straits – 6/4/1580 – 5.8
3. Dover Straits – 21/5/1382 – 5.8
4. Channel Islands – 30/7/1926 – 5.5
5. Llyn Penin, Wales – 19/7/1984 – 5.4
6. Channel Islands – 17/2/1927 – 5.4
7. Derby – 11/2/1957 – 5.3
8. Hereford – 17/12/1896 – 5.3
9. Caernarfon – 9/11/1852 – 5.3
10. Market Rasen, Lincs – 27/2/2008 – 5.2