Quake Aftershocks Could Be Felt 'For Days'

It has been claimed that aftershocks from two earthquakes which struck the Irish Sea at the weekend, could be felt for a number of days.

On Sunday, a small quake was recorded at 5.30am, with a second, stronger quake recorded at a depth of 5km at 10am.

The British Geological Survey recorded the tremors, but seismometers in Ireland also recorded the quake.

The Irish National Seismic Network (INSN) said the quakes could be the result of stresses from the weight of glaciers covering land during the Ice Age.

Its director, Tom Blake, said it was unusual that the earthquakes - measuring 2.4 and 3.3 respectively on the Richter scale - happened in the Irish Sea.

He explained: "This part of the Irish Sea has not seen any significant seismic activity in recent years but ultimately their cause is likely to be no different than other earthquakes in Britain and Ireland. The last earthquake recorded in this part of the Irish Sea occurred in 1843 and is estimated to have been a magnitude 4 quake.

"Although Britain and Ireland are far from any plate boundaries, much of the Region is still experiencing quakes due to the removal of the weight of ice sheets that once covered the land.

"It is impossible to tell if stronger earthquakes will occur in the coming days and weeks, but aftershocks can be expected even if most if not all will be too weak to be felt."

(JP/CD)