Earthquakes in the UK today: the latest from the British Geological Survey

Every earthquake the British Geological Survey (BGS) lists in and around the UK, including the small ones that the worldwide agencies leave out. Most UK earthquakes are too small to feel; this list includes them all.

BGS's list could not be read just now. See BGS's list of recent UK earthquakes itself. If you felt something, you can report it to BGS.

The largest earthquakes in and around the UK in 2026 so far

  1. magnitude 3.3 (minor), England, 18 September (EMSC event page, depth 11 km)
  2. magnitude 3.3 (minor), Scotland, 16 April (EMSC event page, depth 10 km)
  3. magnitude 2.8 (minor), Scotland, 9 March (EMSC event page, depth 3 km)
  4. magnitude 2.7 (minor), Wales, 24 September (EMSC event page, depth 14 km)
  5. magnitude 2.7 (minor), England, 21 September (EMSC event page, depth 10 km)

The last 60 days are from BGS's list; earlier months are from the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) catalogue, which holds UK earthquakes of about magnitude 2.5 and above, many of them located by BGS. Magnitudes from the two can differ by a few tenths.

Did I just feel an earthquake? How to check

  1. Note the time you felt it, to the minute if you can, and where you were.
  2. Look for it in the list above. Match the time: BGS's times are exact to the second, and the place is the nearest town or area to the epicentre, which can be some miles from you.
  3. Not listed yet? It can take a while for an earthquake to reach BGS's list, so look again later. Many things feel like a small earthquake: a heavy lorry or train going past, thunder, a sonic boom from a military jet, quarry blasting, or a gas explosion. A UK earthquake usually feels like a short jolt or a rumble lasting a few seconds, sometimes with a bang.
  4. Report it to BGS on its "Have you felt an earthquake?" form. It asks for the time, your postcode and what you noticed. BGS uses these reports to map how widely the shaking was felt, and a report is useful even if you are not sure it was an earthquake.
  5. If there is damage or anyone is hurt, call 999. Earthquakes strong enough to damage buildings are rare in the UK. What to do during and after an earthquake.

How often does the UK have earthquakes?

BGS records a few hundred earthquakes a year in and around the UK, and most are far too small for anyone to notice. The largest recorded in the UK was magnitude 6.1 under the Dogger Bank in the North Sea in 1931. On land, the 2008 Market Rasen earthquake in Lincolnshire, magnitude 5.2, was felt across much of England and Wales. Clusters of small earthquakes happen too, such as the one around Silverdale in Lancashire in 2026.

Earthquake today in your town

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Questions

Was there an earthquake in the UK today?

No. The British Geological Survey has not listed an earthquake in or around the UK in the last 24 hours.

Was that an earthquake I just felt?

Check the time you felt it against the list on this page, which is the British Geological Survey's. If nothing is listed yet, it may still appear: an earthquake can take a while to reach BGS's list.Many things feel like a small earthquake: a heavy lorry, thunder, a sonic boom from a military jet, quarry blasting or a gas explosion. Whatever it was, BGS asks people who felt something to report it on its "Have you felt an earthquake?" form.

How do I report an earthquake I felt in the UK?

Fill in the British Geological Survey's online form ("Have you felt an earthquake?"). It asks when you felt it, your postcode and what you noticed. BGS uses the reports to work out how strongly the shaking was felt, and reports are useful even when you are not sure it was an earthquake.

What was the biggest earthquake in the UK in 2026?

So far, a magnitude 3.3 (minor) earthquake near England, on 18 Sep 2026, 14:04 BST (13:04 UTC). This is from the EMSC catalogue; BGS's list on this page only goes back about 60 days.

How big do UK earthquakes get?

Most are too small to feel. The largest recorded in the UK was magnitude 6.1 under the Dogger Bank in the North Sea in 1931; one of the largest on land in recent decades was magnitude 5.2 near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, in February 2008. Earthquakes that damage buildings are rare in the UK.

Earthquakes worldwide today · Earthquake today, by city · United Kingdom disasters

Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. Earthquake list from the British Geological Survey's recent UK earthquakes feed, used under the Open Government Licence. Earlier months of the year: EMSC earthquake catalogue (CC BY 4.0). This site does not issue earthquake warnings, and earthquakes cannot be predicted.