Ray, you are partly right in that the tectonic plates are causing stress - as is the continuing uplift of the UK following retreat of the ice! But stick to the day job, the earthquakes do not occur randomly but on the very fault lines which you claim don't exist. They don't necessarily have to occur all along the faults in one go but are the result of re-adjustment as the rocks either side move either sideways or vertically in response to the stress at that point. The magnitude is a reflection of the energy released by these movements

Why not store the atomic rubble under the properties from the Owner and Manager of Sellafield ? They want tell us, all is harmless and will never be a problem at all.
To place a storage bunker in an insecure Rock formation this is a very very good idea.

In regard geographical distances it is not far from where gas fracking tests which were carried out in the Blackpool locality. I believe a mini earthquake occurred whilst they carried out drilling into rock formations to test for possibility of gas to extract under commercial conditions. They stopped but I believe may have started drilling again....

I agree then if earthquakes are prevalent in often wet ground water sogged (where does it leak to?) northern England then it is certainly not the correct watertight place for nuclear waste. Try the safari desert but for some unknown one day rising sea tide?

It is no use jumping into hysterical and panic modes when it is too late. When in 100 years or later our grandchildren will be landed with further debt that someone in London decides is safe when it maybe proved deadly longterm.

In regard Home safety of the effects of more serious earthquakes which have happened in Carlisle. I always now fix/secure wardrobes to walls. I'm well aware of one that nearly pinned my youngest son down once. Thankfully with no injury. We cannot see leaked nuclear radiation... should I get a geiger counter?

Why does nuclear waste have to be stored underground,it's not stored like that now.Perhaps it's because they can hide their activities from the public.

It should be stored above the surface,and preferably in an area like Kent - much safer.

Crisby, you're expecting too much of people really, thinking they should be informed about something before getting hysterical about it, it's far easier for them to jump straight into panic mode ;-)

The UK doesnt actually have any fault lines. The tectonic plate we're on is being squeezed by the north american plate and african plate, causing tremors at random areas around the Brittish Isles.

around 1786 was the last significant earth quake recorded in cumbria, at Whiteheaven and measured around M5.0

Never forget what happened at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex in Japan and how many lives were lost. Never forget!

Usual hysteria and misinformation from the anti-nuclear lot. The Geological Survey report says quite clearly that geotechnical factors will be considered in the next phase of the investigation. Obviously significant earthquake risk wiould rule it out, and it's rotten to suggest that anyone would want to continue regardless. What kind of people do you think they are? (By the way, there was a scale 4.5 earthquake centred in Kent a few years ago, which is about 100 times worse than the one we've just had, and the Channel Tunnel was unaffected. A scale 5 earthquake, rare in the UK, causes damage such as chimneys falling down on old houses)

yes it was the same thing - 9.37pm and 4pm, over 5 hours later - must have been the huge aftershock, its a wonder your house did not fall in around your ears.

C.c. I heard that same boom and my whole house shook at half past four as well! I'm in stanwix where a outs are you?