In Pictures: ‘Devastation’ Caused by Kent Earthquake

Britain isn’t known as a land of extremes. Its climate is moderate to boring, its wildlife won’t rip you to pieces and it is nowhere near any major fault lines.

So when an earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale hit the county of Kent in south east England last night, residents were confused and upset before their British humour set in when they realised it wasn’t that serious.

The British Geological Survey confirmed that the epicentre was under a golf course, about three miles south of the town of Ramsgate. It tweeted:

This morning’s earthquake is approx 25km north-east of the 28 April 2007 Folkestone earthquake which had a magnitude of 4.3 ML

— BGS (@BritGeoSurvey) May 22, 2015

Today’s 4.2 magnitude Ramsgate earthquake is approx 260,000 times smaller than the 7.8 #NepalQuake event

— BGS (@BritGeoSurvey) May 22, 2015

The public soon took to Twitter to post their reactions:

Total devastation as earthquake hits Kent.. #KentEarthquake pic.twitter.com/26pD6aRnFI

— Princess Souperman (@SteveStrange666) May 22, 2015

Jerry can’t defeat us and neither will an earthquake. It’s time for Kent to rebuild. #kentearthquake pic.twitter.com/5f0JhYk8gd

— Sgt Arthur Wilson (@SgtArthurWilson) May 22, 2015

Before and after pictures of Sandwich in Kent. #earthquake pic.twitter.com/986NI3tDgQ

— Европейский комиссар (@MoodySlayerUK) May 22, 2015

#KentEarthquake The horror. pic.twitter.com/3THDOW7ugZ

— Flumps Flumpton (@FlumpsFlumpton) May 22, 2015

Scenes of utter devastation here #staysafe #KentEarthquake pic.twitter.com/bt3oRniXAr

— Sam O’Brien (@samobrien32) May 22, 2015

Earthquake in Kent #KentEarthquake pic.twitter.com/H46MY4kMLp

— .. (@lewksgurl) May 22, 2015

#KentEarthquake Highways out of Kent choked with refugees fleeing the quake zone pic.twitter.com/CUuDp31NcH

— Raedwald Uffinga (@Raedwald) May 22, 2015

There are no reported fatalities, or even injuries.