Residents report earth tremor in parts of southeast England

Residents report earth tremor in parts of southeast England

An earth tremor struck parts of southeast England Saturday morning, residents said. Some witnesses said cracks appeared in walls, and chimneys collapsed across parts of Kent county.

Kent Police said they believed there had been an earthquake and emergency services were responding.

Residents said a tremor lasting about 10-15 seconds struck at around 8:15 a.m. (0715 GMT).

"I was lying in bed and it felt as if someone had just got up from bed next to me," said Hendrick van Eck, 27, of Canterbury, 60 miles (100 kilometers) southeast of London.

"I then heard the sound of cracking, and it was getting heavier and heavier. It felt as if someone was at the end of my bed hopping up and down."

Strong earthquakes are rare in Britain.