Mar 3 2008
Following on from the earthquake that struck parts of the North East of England on Wednesday 27th February, Castle Cover have warned residents across the region that further damage to their homes could be caused by aftershocks.
The earthquake measured up to 5.7 on the Moment Magnitude scale, and caused widespread damage to homes close to its epicentre in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. It struck at around 1am, and could be felt up to 200 miles away, shaking people from their beds as far away as Bangor in Wales.
Experts from the house insurance industry have warned residents who may have been affected by the tremor to examine their walls for any damage, and to ensure that work to correct any cracks is carried out as soon as possible by approved builders in order to minimise the risk to their property.
A spokesman for the British Geological survey confirmed the earthquake was the strongest in nearly a quarter of a century, but also stated that such events were very rare in the UK, and that although aftershocks were likely, these would almost certainly be smaller than the initial tremor.
Industry commentators have pointed to the fact that the region was also hard hit last year by the summer floods, and that people in the area are facing higher home insurance premiums this year.
More than £30 million in damage was caused across northern England, and many people reported that chimney stacks had fallen, and cracks appeared in external walls. In some parts of the country, the shaking was so severe that people thought that a bomb was going off.
Leading UK insurer, Castle Cover advised concerned residents to contact their broker to confirm that they were fully covered against the cost of any damage caused by the earthquake.