Granite Worktops Surrey: Earthquakes!
At our Surrey Granite Worktops factory I am among the oldest members of staff. I am 57. I can remember events since I was 2. In all that time I did not experience an earthquake.
Then, at around midday on 27th June, my duck was broken, and I experienced a definite earth tremor. I was no longer an earthquake virgin.
The entrance to John Lory Farm – our HQ for Surrey Granite worktops here in Charlwood.
What I didn’t expect was to experience a second one, barely a week later. What is going on?
There have been a total of seven minor earthquakes affecting our area of Surrey this year. This is in comparison with the previous forty years during which no seismic activity was recorded in the area. This strikes me as odd, as interesting, and, possibly, as a bit alarming.
The first occurred at Easter, when only our most local staff felt it, but two more recently have occurred in working hours.
Typical scene in the AG office – about to be rudely interrupted by the earth moving.
Seismograph of one of “our” quakes
Granite Worktops Surrey: How was it for you?
I’m sorry to say it, but we are an immature lot in the office here at Affordable Granite. Whether or not doing the admin for all of those Surrey granite worktops addles the brain, or stirs the blood, I don’t know, but I have lost count of the number of “did the earth move for you” comments there have been.
The fact is, it did!
The first earthquake I experienced, on 27 June, felt as if a large lorry had driven into the AG office block. It was like a short, sharp impact, with a bit of noise, but more of a sense of a thump. We rushed outside, not because we were particularly scared, but in order to find out what vehicle had done the damage. Flummoxed by the lack of anything moving nearby, we started to look for earthquake info online – and sure enough, came upon data for a tremor with its epicentre just up the road from us.
The 27 June quake made the national news, and caused a ripple of interest and curiosity. Certainly, for me and others here, it was a first, a totally new experience. Fascinating, and a bit alarming. It was also a salutary to think that, at 2.7 on the logarithmic Richter scale, this was a virtual non-quake – and what it must be like to live through a really big earthquake is horrible to think about.
It was a big enough event for us to write a bit on Facebook about it.
Map showing epicentre of the 27 June quake.
A young and smart Andy outside the non-shaking Affordable Granite office
The second quake I experienced, just before midday today, was bigger and lasted longer. The sensation was much less like a vehicle hitting the office, and much more what you might expect from a major explosion a mile or so away. There was a prolonged shock and shaking, and a loud booming noise. It was more alarming, and we were quicker to identify what had happened as an earthquake. (We are old hands now!)
Once again, people on their feet in the yard, and people in our workshop, felt little or nothing. I suspect that the fairly flimsy (old turkey shed) Surrey granite worktops office block tends to be sensitive to being shaken. I even wonder if the thunder-like booming noise we heard was actually coming entirely from the building. As the ground moved, so the block shook, and that made the noise.
Surrey Granite Worktops: How are you sure it was a quake?
It is easy to think that this kind of thing is very localised. You think explosion, thunder, or the noise and vibration of a large load of quartz or granite worktop waste being dumped into our skip. But then friends get in touch. Within a few minutes, local members of staff with friends, family and neighbours in the surrounding towns and villages were saying that there were reports all over the place: Crawley, Three Bridges, Gatwick airport, Newdigate, Leigh, Norwood Hill, Redhill, Reigate, Dorking – all of them checking in with, “Did the earth move for you too?” Before we had confirmed reports via the British Geological Survey, we were sure.
Surrey Granite Worktops: what causes the quakes?
It isn’t us. It isn’t Donald Trump – his visit isn’t until next week. We aren’t on a major fault line.
Is it fracking? I don’t know. People who like fracking say it isn’t. People who don’t like fracking say it is. There has been some exploratory drilling around here. They say it hasn’t been going on for two years. I don’t know. It is clear that tremors have been associated with fracking elsewhere. And there WAS some hope of oil/gas recovery here. Ho hum.
I’ll say it again: I don’t know.
Surrey Granite Worktops: Will this stop Affordable Granite in its tracks?
No.
No damage has been caused by the recent events, we have all just had a bit of a shake up, that’s all. My heart goes out to people who have been caught up in really major earthquakes. I hate to think what it must be like.
No – life goes on. Despite earth tremors and shocks, we remain the first and best place for Surrey people to buy their quartz and granite worktops. Contact us for a quotation or call us on 01293 863992.
Who knows – a really exciting worktop might just make the earth move for you! 😉
A stunning, earth-shaking slab of leather-finish Belvedere arriving at our Surrey granite worktops yard.Â
