Seismic activity has been more frequent across the United Kingdom than many might realise, with a major new study confirming that more than three hundred earthquakes have been recorded so far this year.
Mapping the UK's Seismic Hotspots
Data from the British Geological Survey (BGS) shows that a total of 309 earthquakes were detected across Great Britain in 2023. The research highlights several key regions that experienced notable activity, including Perthshire and the western Highlands in Scotland, southern parts of Wales, and the English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.
The most powerful onshore events occurred in quick succession on 20 October near Loch Lyon in Perth and Kinross. A tremor measuring 3.7 in magnitude was followed just hours later by a second quake of 3.6 magnitude. Residents reported dramatic effects, with one describing the sensation as "like an underground subway under my house," and another noting that "the house shook and all the windows rattled."
Public Response and Historical Context
The BGS received a significant 198 "felt reports" from the public following the Loch Lyon tremors, with some accounts coming from over 37 miles away from the epicentre. In fact, public engagement with seismic events has been high throughout the year, with the organisation collecting 1,320 reports from people who felt earthquakes in 2023.
While this year's activity has been widespread, the strongest earthquake in UK history remains the Dogger Bank event of 1931, which registered a magnitude of 6.1. According to BGS statistics, magnitude-4 events in and around the UK are typically recorded every three to four years, with magnitude-5 quakes occurring every few decades and major magnitude-6 tremors expected only every few hundred years.
The Science Behind the Shakes
Dr Brian Baptie, a seismologist at the BGS, emphasised that while significant quakes are rare, the UK experienced a detectable event virtually every day this year. "It is a reminder that small earthquakes happen all the time," he stated, highlighting the importance of ongoing study to understand the potential impact on the nation's critical energy and infrastructure projects.
The BGS monitors seismic activity using a network of 80 specialist stations positioned across the country. Dr Baptie explained that the concentration of events in western Scotland is not unexpected. "The west of Scotland is one of the more active parts of the UK. Some of this activity can be attributed to well-known geological faults like the Great Glen fault and the Highland Boundary fault."
He further clarified that earthquakes can occur in various parts of the UK due to the nation's complex geological history. "The earth under our feet has got lots of what we call geological faults in it... Sometimes those faults are activated by present day stresses, and when they are, you get these small earthquakes."
In the period from October to December alone, 34 of the recorded earthquakes occurred in the vicinity of Loch Lyon. The third-largest onshore tremor was a magnitude-3.2 event at Silverdale in Lancashire on 3 December, which prompted an impressive 700 felt reports from the local community.
