Why did the 1989 Newcastle earthquake occur?

The magnitude 5.6 quake that struck Newcastle, in New South Wales, on December 28, 1989, killed 13 people, injured 160, and caused 3.5 billion U.S. dollars worth of damage. That quake was triggered by changes in tectonic forces caused by 200 years of underground coal mining, according to a study by Christian D.

Did mining cause the Newcastle earthquake?

Dr Christian Klose from the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory says the mines weakened and reactivated a major fault line below Newcastle, which caused the quake. The tremor killed 13 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.

What were some of the reasons building were damaged so easily during the earthquake in Newcastle?

The buildings’ vulnerability to the earthquake was due to their construction and deterioration with age. Some buildings were made with low-quality unreinforced masonry “which means, basically, there was no reinforcement bars and little masonry strength to support tension built up by shaking,” says Mark.

How did Newcastle earthquake 1989?

Newcastle earthquake, 1989

On 28 December 1989 at 10:27am, an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale hit Newcastle. The earthquake’s epicentre was approximately 15 kilometres from Newcastle’s central business district. The earthquake caused 13 fatalities; 160 people were injured.

Where did the 1989 Newcastle earthquake occur?

The 1989 Newcastle earthquake was an intraplate earthquake that occurred in Newcastle, New South Wales on Thursday, 28 December. 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.

What tectonic plates caused the Newcastle earthquake?

It collides with the Eurasian, Philippine and Pacific plates causing a build up of stress in the 25km thick crust. This is what causes earthquakes in Australia when the pressure is released. In fact, the 1989, Newcastle earthquake was caused by these natural geographical processes.

How much damage did the Newcastle earthquake cause?

The shock measured 5.6 on the Richter scale, making it one of the most powerful ever recorded in Australia. The damage bill was estimated at A$4 billion, with over 35,000 homes, 147 schools, and 3,000 other buildings damaged over an area of 9,000 km².

How big was the Newcastle earthquake in 1989?

_L 5.6

At 10.27am on Thursday, 28 December 1989, Newcastle was devastated by an M_L 5.6 (M_W 5.4) earthquake. This was one of the most significant natural disasters in Australia’s history.

How long did it take to recover from the Newcastle earthquake?

It took several years for Newcastle to recover from its relatively small magnitude earthquake. Almost ten years on, Christchurch is still struggling to regain the functionality that its residents took for granted before the 2011 earthquake.

What type of earthquake was the 1989 Newcastle earthquake?

At 10.27am on Thursday, 28 December 1989, Newcastle was devastated by an ML 5.6 (Richter magnitude) earthquake.

Is Newcastle on a fault line?

The earthquake activity in the Newcastle region is south of the north and east dipping Hunter- Mooki Fault System.

What is the largest earthquake ever recorded?

Mw 9.5 earthquake

On May 22, 1960 a great Mw 9.5 earthquake, the largest earthquake ever instrumentally recorded, occurred off the coast of southern Chile. This earthquake generated a tsunami that was destructive not only along the coast of Chile, but also across the Pacific in Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines.

Will Newcastle have another earthquake?

“Maybe not necessarily a bigger earthquake, but another earthquake.” But Professor Bill Collins, from the university’s Institute for Frontiers Geoscience, is not convinced we’ll experience another earthquake in Newcastle any time soon. “I don’t think so,” he says.

What is the largest earthquake recorded in Australia?

6.6

Australia’s largest recorded earthquake was in 1988 at Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, with an estimated magnitude of 6.6. It occurred in a sparsely populated area and resulted in damage to a major gas pipeline.

Who died in Newcastle earthquake?

They were Cecil Robert Abbott, 59, Dulcie Alice Bliim, 78, and Cyril Keith McMahon, 62. The day after the quake at Royal Newcastle Hospital, Levener Georgia Watson, 63, Blackalls Park. died of a brain haemorrhage, which the coroner said was “probably” because of raised blood pressure brought on by the quake.

How much did the Newcastle earthquake cost?

THE 1989 Newcastle earthquake that killed 13 people and damaged 50,000 buildings would cost the economy $18.7 billion if it happened today, a new report has found. Twenty-six years after it happened, the 5.6 magnitude earthquake is still the deadliest in Australia’s history.

What causes earthquakes?

Earthquakes are the result of sudden movement along faults within the Earth. The movement releases stored-up ‘elastic strain’ energy in the form of seismic waves, which propagate through the Earth and cause the ground surface to shake.

What happened in the year 1989 in Australia?

December. 2 December – The 1989 Queensland state election is held. After 32 years in power, 19 of those under Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, the National Party government is voted out of office in Queensland amid widespread allegations of corruption & is replaced by the Australian Labor Party.

Why was 1989 so important?

1989 was a turning point in political history because a wave of revolutions swept the Eastern Bloc in Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin Wall in November, and the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, embracing the overthrow of the …

What big things happened in 1989?

Ahead are all the most unforgettable things that happened in 1989 – prepare to relive it all.

• The Berlin Wall Came Down. …
• The World Wide Web Was Invented. …
• Pro-Democracy Rallies In Tiananmen Square. …
• The Dalai Lama Won The Nobel Peace Prize. …
• Madonna Dropped Her ‘Like A Prayer’ Album. …
• A 4,400-Year-Old Mummy Was Found.

What major events happened in 1989?

Events

• January 20: George H. W. Bush becomes the 41st U.S. President.
• January 20: Dan Quayle becomes the 44th U.S. Vice President.
• March 24: Exxon Valdez oil spill.
• October 17: Loma Prieta earthquake.

What was the #1 song of 1989?

The two longest running number-one singles of 1989 are “Miss You Much” by Janet Jackson and “Another Day in Paradise” by Phil Collins, which each charted at number one for four weeks. “Another Day in Paradise” attained two weeks at number one in 1989 and two more weeks in 1990, achieving four weeks at the top.

What happened on the 15th of April 1989?

Hillsborough disaster, incident in which a crush of football (soccer) fans resulted in 96 deaths and hundreds of injuries during a match at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, on April 15, 1989. The tragedy was largely attributed to mistakes by the police.

How old would you be if your born in 1989?

How old am i, If i was born in April, 1989?

How many years has it been since 1989 to 2021?

The number of years from is 32 years.

How old would you be if you were born in 1989 to 2020?

Born in 1989 how old in 2020? If you were born from 1989 to the 2020 year, you are 31 years old.