Earthquake off coast goes unnoticed by some

An earthquake that took place in the North Sea during the early hours of Sunday morning went unnoticed by some residents.

The tremor was recorded at 04:32 GMT in the North Sea, roughly 62 miles (100km) north-east of Cromer, Norfolk.

According to the British Geological Survey, the earthquake had a 3.0 magnitude and occurred at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles (10km).

Yet many residents have jokingly questioned whether there was an earthquake at all, with some saying that they "never heard or felt" anything.

One person suggested their snoring may have been mistaken for the earthquake, while another said any tremors felt could have been a result of them falling down the stairs.

The British Geological Survey said about 20 to 30 earthquakes were felt by people each year, while hundreds of smaller ones are recorded by sensitive instruments.

Dr Lidong Bie, a lecturer in geohazards at the University of East Anglia, said tremors in the UK were "quite rare".

"A magnitude of three is quite small compared to a magnitude of four," Dr Bie told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"So in terms of intensity and how people felt it, the shaking would be quite weak for this magnitude.

"During the early morning people are asleep and can be easily woken up by it, but if it happens during the daytime they probably would not notice it."

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