Sussex earthquake: 3.0- magnitude tremor hits English Channel, European officials say

Camber Sands, near where the earthquake took place
Getty Images
Kit Heren13 August 2020

Officials in Europe said an earthquake was detected off the south coast of England on Thursday.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, which gives alerts on seismic activity in Europe, said the tremor took place in the English Channel at 9.05am and registered 3.0-magnitude on the Richter scale.

They said the earthquake struck four miles under the Earth's surface, 21 miles off the seaside village of Camber in East Sussex. A score of 3.0 on the Richter scale is considered a minor tremor that you can feel if you are sitting down.

However, this afternoon, the British Geological Survey said the earthquake was a false alarm.

Some local people had taken to social media to discuss their reactions, with one saying on Facebook that she heard "a rumble" at the time.

Sussex was affected by an earthquake last year, when a tremor measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale hit Gatwick on May 4.

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