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Kent hit by 5-magnitude earthquake
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded a tremor of 5.0 magnitude around 4.3 miles south east of Ashford at 8.18am, according to its website.
Eyewitness Lorraine Muir told Sky News that chimneys had come down, gas and electricity supplies were off and people were being evacuated from their homes by the Salvation Army.
"We've been evacuated by the Sally Army, we've got no gas or electricity at the moment. It's chaos up here at the moment," she said.
The mother-of-four said she was in bed when the earthquake struck.
"I was very, very frightened, I'm still shaking a bit now."
Sharon Hayles, who lives in the village of Stanford near the Eurotunnel at Folkestone, said her house slid from side to side for about 10 to 15 seconds.
There was no damage to her home, but she said the tremor, which hit at 8.18am, shook the house like a "fun fair ride".
Fire officials said they were being inundated with "lots and lots" of calls from residents in the Folkestone area.
A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "We have had calls from people saying their chimneys have fallen down, and that large cracks have appeared in people's houses."
