PRESS STATEMENT: LARGEST FRACKING EARTHQUAKE IN THE UK TO DATE HITS LANCASHIRE
26 AUGUST 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
At 08.31hrs, a fracking-induced earthquake struck Lancashire, following Cuadrilla’s operations at Preston New Road. It has measured 2.9ML on the Richter Scale, making it the biggest fracking-induced earthquake in the UK and registering on seismographs as far as Wales and Scotland.
This is not a trailing event. According to Emeritus Professor Peter Styles, one of the co-authors of the seismic Traffic Light System (TLS) that Cuadrilla have to operate under, and a former advisor to Downing Street, he stated:
“There is no such thing as trailing events. They are an artificial construct by someone (DECC, BEIS, industry?) and certainly not by me, Professor Peter Styles, who was part of the triad who established the Traffic Light System. These are events which occur as the fluid hydraulic changes and stress changes propagate away from the immediately fracked region and are, and always have been seen as an integral part of the seismicity response of the subsurface.
“The earth’s response to the fracking event is not instantaneous and to somehow pretend that they are not a consequence of the fracking process is derisory.”
A spokeswoman for Preston New Action Group said:
“At 2.9ML, this is the largest fracking induced earthquake to have happened in the UK, it is very frightening when you hear a loud bang and things in the house rattle.
“Given that this quake was felt across Blackpool, the Fylde Coast and beyond, what is likely to have happened beneath the ground to the well at the source?
“We should not be being subjected to this level of stress and fear. So many people have felt it and are trying to log it that it is proving difficult to get onto the British Geological Survey site. Fracking must be stopped immediately.”
A spokesman for Frack Free Lancashire said:
“This morning, there was an earthquake measuring 2.9ML. This is the largest ever recorded in the area and human-induced from fracking operations.
“It was felt in Wesham, Kirkham, Lytham, Wrea Green, Blackpool and as far away as Chorley. As yet, Cuadrilla have failed to respond to this event but we call upon the government to halt fracking operations immediately.
“Lancashire voted against this at every level of local government but national government over-ruled and have repeatedly given us bland re-assurances about “gold standard regulations”.
“Enough is enough. People are cowering in their homes and just waiting and wondering when the next quake will be and how much damage it will cause.
“We call upon our local MPs to come off the fence and press for an immediate ban on fracking. We are sick of being treated as human guinea pigs.”
Claire Stephenson
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