Questions

Using the following website http://www.9geography2.blogspot.com answer the following questions. If you have difficulty using the above website then use the websites listed next to each question.
For Q1 use the following website http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/earthquake/index.jsp
Q1. What is an earthquake and how are they measured?
For Q2-Q4 use the following website http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/earthquake/causes.jsp
Q2. Describe the process that causes an earthquake to occur.
Q3. What is an epicenter?
Q4. What else can earthquakes cause?
For Q5-Q6 use the following website http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards/earthquake/where.jsp
Q5. Where do earthquakes occur? Where do the largest events occur?
Q6. Where in Australia has the highest earthquake risk?
Q7-Q12 relates to the Newcastle Earthquake (see handout or Newcastle Earthquake blog)
Q7. When did the Newcastle Earthquake occur?
Q8. What was it on the Richter Scale?
Q9. How many lives were lost? How many people were hospitalized?
Q10. How many buildings were destroyed?
Q11. Approximately how many people were affected?
Q12. What was the total damage bill?
Q13- Q16 use the following website http://www.ema.gov.au/www/ema/schools.nsf/Page/LearnAbout_EarthquakesIn_My_Backyard
Q13. When and where did Australia experience its first earthquake?
Q14. How many earthquakes have there been measuring 6.0 or more in the last 60 years?
Q15. What are 4 major earthquakes that have occurred in Australia in recent times? When did they occur?
Q16. Choose 1 of the earthquakes from above (apart from Newcastle) and write a short summary.

The Newcastle Earthquake Database

The Newcastle Earthquake Database is a comprehensive collection of published and unpublished records, photographs, audio and video information on the 1989 Newcastle Earthquake. There are 3600 bibliographical records with abstracts available on the database. Of these, 2800 records are available as electronic full text records and there are digitised images, sound and video files.

Newcastle Regional Library Earthquake Database

Emergency Management Australia - Earthquakes in My Backyard

Earthquakes in My Backyard

The Newcastle Earthquake - Facts and Figures

· The earthquake claimed 13 lives. Nine people died at the Newcastle Workers Club; three people were killed in Beaumont Street, Hamilton and one person died of shock
· 160 people were hospitalised
· 50,000 buildings were damaged (approximately 40,000 of these were homes)
· 300 buildings were demolished
· 300,000 people were affected and 1,000 were made homeless
· It left a damage bill estimated to be about A$1.5 billion
· The effects were felt over an area of about 200,000 sq. km, with isolated reports of movement from up to 800 km from Newcastle
· The earthquake epicentre was at Boolaroo

An Overview of the 1989 Newcastle Earthquake

A killer earthquake occurred in Australia without warning at 10.27 am on 28 December 1989, smashing into the city of Newcastle. Although it was only a moderate earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.6 on the Richter scale, the shock waves were felt up to 800 kilometres away, across more than one-quarter of New South Wales. In Sydney, 160 kilometres to the south, there were reports of house wall cracks and computer screens trembling in city skyscrapers. The Newcastle Earthquake was the first earthquake since European settlement in Australia to cause fatalities. There were 13 deaths. Nine people were crushed when a large section of the Newcastle Workers Club collapsed, three were killed when shop fronts collapsed in Beaumont Street, and one person died from shock. More than 160 people were injured. The loss of life could have been much greater if the earthquake had struck during school term and not the Christmas holidays. More than 40 schools suffered structural damage, some so badly that they had to be demolished. More than 50 000 buildings were moderately to seriously damaged. The total cost of damage was more than 1.5 billion dollars, and the event caused the largest insured loss due to disasters in Australian history. There was unusually extensive damage for such a relatively small magnitude earthquake. This unusual damage was due to an underlying thin layer of silt and sand, covering a former course of the Hunter River and a swamp. This appeared to magnify the shaking or ground motion. Due to the extent of the damage in such a low seismic risk area, seismic activity is now closely monitored. Since 1994, regulations have required that all buildings must be constructed to resist earthquakes.

Geoscience Australia - Earthquakes Where?

Where do Earthquakes Occur?

Geoscience Australia - Earthquakes What?

What is an Earthquake?
What causes Earthquakes?

Introduction to Earthquakes

Earthquakes are caused by movement of rock deep within the Earths crust. These sudden movements send vibration waves (called seismic waves) outward in all directions. The waves are felt first at the epicentre and this is where often, most of the damage is caused. Earthquakes are measured according to their magnitude and intensity. Magnitude (energy released from the earthquake) is measured by the Richter Scale. The intensity of an earthquake is measured on the Modified Mercalli Scale. This rates the amount of damage caused by the earthquake.