Blackpool is rocked by 4 earthquakes as fracking starts again

‘Bigger quakes to follow’

BLACKPOOL has been hit by four earthquakes in two days – after fracking was restarted in the area this week.

The most recent quake occurred yesterday afternoon at an amber level on the official monitoring scale, which means ‘proceed at caution’.

Firms stopped fracking in Lancashire in 2011 after two earthquakes, and experts now fear further disturbances.

But oil and gas firm Cuadrilla started drilling again on Monday after campaigners lost a last-ditch legal battle to stop them at the High Court.

David Smythe, emeritus Professor of Geophysics at the University of Glasgow, warned ‘there may be trouble ahead’ if work continues.

He said: ‘Recent research by Stanford University shows that these tiny tremors can be indicators of bigger quakes to follow – like canaries in a coal mine. The problem for Cuadrilla is that if it carries on regardless, bigger earthquakes may well be triggered.

‘Cuadrilla’s only safe option is to cease fracking.’

Blackpool has been a focal point for the anti-fracking movement after the 2011 quakes. One reached 2.3 on the Richter scale on April 11.

Oil and gas firm Cuadrilla was ordered to stop all work shortly after the second smaller shock on May 27, 2011. Preliminary studies by the British Geological Society suggested the tremors were linked to fracking.

Blackpool was hit with three minor quakes on Thursday at 3.48pm, 10.54pm and 11.44pm.

They were at minus levels of seismic activity, only picked up on specialist equipment. Yesterday at 1.20pm the area was hit by an earthquake with a 0.3 magnitude – which would still not be felt by residents.

But environmental campaigners claim it has hit a level where fracking should again be reconsidered.

A spokesman for Cuadrilla said the quakes ‘were very far below levels that could be felt at surface’.

He added: ‘We take the monitoring and regulation of seismicity seriously, with daily reports sent to regulators.’