Killer earthquake warning issued

[Jordan]

A killer earthquake could hit London at any time, claiming untold numbers of lives and causing billions of pounds worth of damage, an expert has warned.

Such a quake is long overdue after the last one occurred on April 6 1580, said seismologist Dr Roger Musson.

Centred on the Dover Straits, the magnitude 5.5 tremor shook the south-east of England, damaging property and killing two people in London.

Today, a similar "moderate" event would be far more destructive, with towns and cities connected by complex infrastructure and a London population 50 times what it was in the 16th century.

The reason we should be aware of the danger is that earthquakes have a habit of repeating themselves, said Dr Musson, from the British Geological Survey.

Speaking at the British Science Festival at Aston University, Birmingham, he said: "Even the quake in 1580 was a repeat of a previous one that occurred in 1382, with almost the same epicentre, size and results.

"What we can be sure of is that, in the years since 1580, the exposure of society to earthquakes has increased enormously. The same earthquake happening tomorrow will impact on far more people than was the case in the 16th century.

"In terms of saying when is the next one going to be, all we can do is say that something that has happened twice can and probably will happen three times. But as to whether it happens tomorrow or in two years time or in 20 or 50 years time, that is something we would love to know but we don't."

An idea of the kind of financial impact of such an event could be seen from a tremor that struck the city of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia, in 1999.

"The damage caused by that earthquake, which was smaller than the 1580 earthquake, amounted to about £4 billion at today's prices," said Dr Musson.

I love how they think of these idea's.

[Calvin]

Wow, reading things like this are kinda scary (even though I don't live in London). I guess we'll just have to wait for it as you can't do much at the moment considering you don't know when it's coming. I used to love the Earthquake topic in School, was very interesting but scary.

[Misawa]

"could ... ovedue". Slow news day.

[Nemo]

But as to whether it happens tomorrow or in two years time or in 20 or 50 years time, that is something we would love to know but we don't."

"could ... ovedue". Slow news day.

Indeed...


Seems rather pointless when we have no idea when itll happen. Atleast i learnt that the earthquakes repeat themselves usually

[-:Undertaker:-]

Thats it then, we are all totally and utterly buggered - unless our politicians get us to pay a earthquake tax which will surely stop the oncoming disaster and prevent us all from dying. We could also implement thousands of costly regulations which will also prevent the earthquake (but never stop it, because that would mean removing the tax). Ring any bells?

Its time we stop fretting about 2012, the Malayan calender, global warming and the rest and start using some common sense.

[GommeInc]

Thats it then, we are all totally and utterly buggered - unless our politicians get us to pay a earthquake tax which will surely stop the oncoming disaster and prevent us all from dying. We could also implement thousands of costly regulations which will also prevent the earthquake (but never stop it, because that would mean removing the tax). Ring any bells?

Its time we stop fretting about 2012, the Malayan calender, global warming and the rest and start using some common sense.

I demand we hold peace talks with the earthquake leader, right now :@

Disasters are meant to happen all the time, whether they happen or not is another thing. That's why I've sort of kinda made a bunker which will probably maybe used in 2012 or sometime there abouts for the usage of protection against angry Mayan calendars and or asteroids there abouts. Speaking like a scientist is fun

[[Jay]]

Very scientific peace of research there.

Yes it could happen soon or maybe in a few years time but when you cant really know when it will happen then why scare people, I saw the tittle of that in a newspaper and was like omg!!! then I started reading it and was like ....

[kk.]

I predict that we're going to have a tsunami type disaster sometime soon. I mean it's a lot overdue. I just don't know when it will happen. Could be tomorrow, could be in 1000 years. I just don't know

[.x.miss.angel.x]

Eh, load of Rubbish, Some scientists have too much time to think..

I mean, we don't get many earthquakes since we are sat in the middle of a plate -uses pointer to point at britain on a map-


Beacause of this, we don't get many earthquakes only tremours when a plate boundrie at the sides go under each other ect... Not saying we won't get one, but its not too likely

+ haiti was 7.0 So, 5.5, it could be worse & it could be better



Geography/Science lesson over

[Jordan]

The earthquake they predict, will come eventually. We get earthquakes because the plates either side are pushing inwards, creating "small cracks" on the plate which we are on. (read that someone, can't remember where though)

kk dont listen to me, its this:

Britain sat in the middle of one of the tectonic plates that divide up the Earth's crust.
The country was being squeezed between an expanding plate boundary slicing through the Atlantic and another running through north Africa.
Geological movements over millions of years had caused large numbers of "little cracks" to appear in the stressed rock.
"Think of it as a dinner plate that has been broken several times and glued back together again and you're squeezing it," said Dr Musson. "If one bit is not glued terribly well, then it can give a little."