Newcastle Earthquake
PART I
INTRODUCTION
AIM
The aim of this report is to describe the Newcastle earthquake and identify its social, physical and economic effects on the community. The event in detail, major effects, how the event was caused, the effects on the communities property, people, infrastructure and economy, will all be addressed in this report. Also the long term planning implications, preventative measures, preparedness, response implications, and well as recovery implications will covered and described. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this report on the Newcastle Earthquake are as follows:
1. To define the terms emergency, and show what makes this event an emergency,
2. To identify in detail the nature of the event, in terms of how and why this event occurred,
3. To identify and discus who and what were affected by this event,
4. To identify the long term implications of this emergency, including details of preventative and preparedness implications, as well as response and recovery implications.
PART II
WHAT WAS THE EVENT?
THE EVENT
The event was Australia’s most damaging earthquake which hit Newcastle city.
WHERE AND WHEN THE EVENT OCCURRED AND IT’S DURATION
The earthquake struck Newcastle city at 10.28am on the 28th December 1989. The epicentre of the earthquake was 15kms west south west of Newcastle’s CBD, and registered at 5.6 on the Richter scale. The initial earthquake only lasted 5 to 6 seconds, but two after shocks followed. (Geoscience Australia 2004) The first aftershock was around ten minutes later but was not felt by many Novocastrians. The second was felt the day after at 7:08am the 29th December, measuring 2.1 on the Richter scale (Newcastle Library n.d). This after shock was strongly felt, especially in the suburb of Hamilton. The city is located on the east coast of New South Wales Australia, with a population of around 300 000 people (Geoscience Australia 2004). It was settled early in the 19th
INTRODUCTION
AIM
The aim of this report is to describe the Newcastle earthquake and identify its social, physical and economic effects on the community. The event in detail, major effects, how the event was caused, the effects on the communities property, people, infrastructure and economy, will all be addressed in this report. Also the long term planning implications, preventative measures, preparedness, response implications, and well as recovery implications will covered and described. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this report on the Newcastle Earthquake are as follows:
1. To define the terms emergency, and show what makes this event an emergency,
2. To identify in detail the nature of the event, in terms of how and why this event occurred,
3. To identify and discus who and what were affected by this event,
4. To identify the long term implications of this emergency, including details of preventative and preparedness implications, as well as response and recovery implications.
PART II
WHAT WAS THE EVENT?
THE EVENT
The event was Australia’s most damaging earthquake which hit Newcastle city.
WHERE AND WHEN THE EVENT OCCURRED AND IT’S DURATION
The earthquake struck Newcastle city at 10.28am on the 28th December 1989. The epicentre of the earthquake was 15kms west south west of Newcastle’s CBD, and registered at 5.6 on the Richter scale. The initial earthquake only lasted 5 to 6 seconds, but two after shocks followed. (Geoscience Australia 2004) The first aftershock was around ten minutes later but was not felt by many Novocastrians. The second was felt the day after at 7:08am the 29th December, measuring 2.1 on the Richter scale (Newcastle Library n.d). This after shock was strongly felt, especially in the suburb of Hamilton. The city is located on the east coast of New South Wales Australia, with a population of around 300 000 people (Geoscience Australia 2004). It was settled early in the 19th