Earthquake!

At 2.45pm on 23 June the effects of an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.7 was felt by many in the Bovey Tracey area (the epicentre). In Moretonhampstead it sounded like a big explosion, and my cottage certainly 'trembled'. Mike Rego, a geologist living in North Bovey, has this to say:

North Bovey is directly on the Sticklepath Fault axis, which is a lateral or 'pull-apart' wrench fault (sort of like the San Andreas system) which is the reason why the Bovey Tracey clay pits formed where they did in the Tertiary Period, associated with localised subsidence. The River Bovey and Lustleigh Cleave are all on the fault axis.

Mike will be expanding on this subject in the autumn issue of the magazine. Visit the British Geological Society's website and fill in the earthquake questionnaire (relating to yesterday's event).