1989 Newcastle earthquake explained

1989 Newcastle earthquake
Pushpin Map:Australia
Coordinates:-32.95°N 151.61°W
Timestamp:1989-12-27 23:27
Isc-Event:385153
Anss-Url:usp00043na
Magnitude:5.6  (5.4 )
Depth:11.5km (07.1miles)
Affected:Australia
Damages:A$4 billion ($ billion in, adjusted for inflation)
Casualties:13 dead, 160+ injured
Engvar:EN-AU

The 1989 Newcastle earthquake was an intraplate earthquake that occurred in Newcastle, New South Wales on Thursday 28 December.[1] The shock measured 5.6 on the Richter magnitude scale and was one of Australia's most serious natural disasters, killing 13 people and injuring more than 160. The damage bill has been estimated at A$4 billion (or $ billion in, adjusted for inflation), including an insured loss of about $1 billion (or $ billion in, adjusted for inflation).[1]

The effects were felt over an area of around 200000km2 in the state of New South Wales, with isolated reports of movement in areas up to 800km (500miles) from Newcastle.[1] Damage to buildings and facilities was reported over an area of 9000-2NaN-2.

Death toll and damage to buildings

The highest death toll and damage occurred at the Newcastle Workers Club, where the floor collapsed. Nine people were killed and many more were trapped beneath the rubble.[1] Another three people were crushed to death when masonry from building façades collapsed onto awnings on Beaumont Street, Hamilton, an inner-city suburb of Newcastle. Following the death of a woman in Broadmeadow from earthquake-related shock, the final death toll was raised to 13.[1]

The earthquake caused damage to over 35,000 homes, 147 schools, and 3,000 commercial and/or other buildings, with significant damage (i.e. damage worth over $1,000; $ in adjusted for inflation) caused to 10,000 homes and 42 schools (structural damage), within the immediate Newcastle area.

The number of people in the city on the day of the earthquake was lower than usual, due to a strike by local bus drivers. The earthquake struck in the middle of an interview by a local television station NBN with a union representative.

Statistics

The names of all 13 victims were published later in newspapers such as the Maitland Mercury[2]

Cause

In early 2007, a United States academic claimed that coal mining in the region triggered the earthquake, although earthquake activity has been present in the area at least since European settlement first occurred.[4] [5] That is in addition to the statement by the former head of the earthquake monitoring group at Geoscience Australia, Dr David Denham, that the Newcastle earthquake occurred some distance from mining activity:

"The depths of the focus of the earthquake was about 13, 14 kilometres, whereas the ones associated with mining, they're actually right close to the mine, because that's where the stress release takes place."[6]

Despite records of previous earthquakes in the area, even the most recent construction codes in Newcastle at the time of the earthquake (issued in 1979) required neither the adoption of earthquake-resistant design nor the strengthening of old buildings, although they did encourage owners to provide more than the minimum strength.[7]

In popular culture

Music

Songs about the Newcastle earthquake include

Literature

Other

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Earthquake . https://web.archive.org/web/20110310002838/http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/about_newcastle/history_and_heritage/earthquake . dead . 10 March 2011 . Newcastle City Council . 25 June 2011 .
  2. Web site: Newcastle earthquake: 25 years on | Photos. 22 December 2014.
  3. Web site: Significant Earthquake Information. National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 1972 . NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information . 10.7289/V5TD9V7K. 29 February 2024.
  4. Web site: Mining triggered Newcastle quake, says US academic. ABC News Online. 9 January 2007. 6 May 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090403103913/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1823536.htm. 3 April 2009 . dead.
  5. Web site: Earthquake Factsheets – Newcastle . C. Sinadinovski . T. Jones . D. Stewart . And N. Corby . . 20 March 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080528061019/http://www.ga.gov.au/image_cache/GA4189.pdf . 28 May 2008 .
  6. News: Australian experts reject Newcastle quake claims. ABC News. 9 January 2007. 1 June 2008 .
  7. Web site: Earthquake History, Regional Seismicity and the 1989 Newcastle Earthquake. Geoscience Australia. 22 June 2004. 27 June 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20040826220212/http://www.ga.gov.au/urban/factsheets/earthquakes_newcastle.jsp. 26 August 2004.
  8. Web site: NewcastleBandsDatabase - The Lost Boys. www.newcastlebandsdatabase.com.au.
  9. Web site: Behind the News (ABC TV news program). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 November 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20090426190103/http://www.abc.net.au/tv/btn/stories/s2041720.htm. 26 April 2009.
  10. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: Newcastle Earthquake Song By Wilson and Lightfoot - Our Town . YouTube.
  11. Web site: NewcastleBandsDatabase -.
  12. Web site: Gary Shearston - Discography.
  13. Book: The Newcastle Earthquake Response Record. 9780909115371. 1990. Newcastle City Council.
  14. Book: The earth was raised up in waves like the sea: Earthquake tremors felt in the Hunter Valley since white settlement. 9780646017167. 1991. Hunter House Publications.
  15. Web site: What Came Between (Book). 9 April 2011. 9 April 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20090717114746/http://www.scribepublications.com.au/book/whatcamebetween. 17 July 2009.
  16. Book: Disasters in Australia and New Zealand. 10.1007/978-981-15-4382-1. 2020. Palgrave Macmillan. 978-981-15-4381-4. 241278771. McKinnon. Scott. Margaret. Cook.
  17. Web site: Aftershocks . australianplays.org . 17 October 2013 . 17 October 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017215035/http://australianplays.org/script/CP-81 . dead .
  18. Web site: AFTERSHOCKS - Ronin Films - Educational DVD Sales .
  19. Web site: Newcastle Museum Permanent Exhibitions - Newcastle Museum.

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