5.2 earthquake hits UK

The largest earthquake to strike England in 25 years hit Lincolnshire [53.321°N, 0.314°W] in the early hours of Wednesday. The earthquake which measured 5.2 on the Richter scale struck at 12:56 GMT. There were a few reports of injuries including that of one individual who was hit by debris when a chimney crashed through the roof of his home in Barnsley, Yorkshire. The tremor was even felt as far away as London, 200 km south of the epicentre [Sky News / BBC]. The last big earthquake to hit southern Britain was in 1984 when Wales was struck by a 5.4 tremor. The British Geological Survey [PDF report] put the recent tremor at 5.2 striking at a depth of 15 km, but the USGS, which were the first scientific body to release data, put the quake at 4.7 at a depth of 10 km. Such discrepancies are relatively normal with regards the measuring of earthquakes. Much relies on the triangulation and measurements made from seismological equipment placed around the earth.