1989 Newcastle earthquake

The 1989 Newcastle earthquake occurred in Newcastle, New South Wales on Thursday, 28 December.[2] 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 $8.3 billion in 2019, adjusted for inflation), including an insured loss of about $1 billion (or $2 billion in 2019, adjusted for inflation).[2]

1989 Newcastle earthquake
UTC time1989-12-27 23:27
ISC eventn/a
USGS-ANSSComCat
Local date28 December 1989 (1989-12-28)
Local time10:27 a.m. AEDT UTC+11:00
Magnitude5.6 ML (5.4 mb[1] )
Depth11.5 kilometres (7.1 mi)
EpicentreBoolaroo, New South Wales
32.95°S 151.61°E / -32.95; 151.61
Areas affectedAustralia
Total damageA$4 billion[2] ($8.3 billion in 2019, adjusted for inflation)
Max. intensityVIII (Severe)[1]
Casualties13 dead, more than 160 injured

The effects were felt over an area of around 200,000 square kilometres (77,000 sq mi) in the state of New South Wales, with isolated reports of movement in areas up to 800 kilometres (500 mi) from Newcastle.[2] Damage to buildings and facilities was reported over an area of 9,000 km2 (3,500 sq mi).

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 rubble.[2] Another three people were crushed to death under collapsed 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.[2]

The earthquake caused damage to over 35,000 homes, 147 schools, and 3,000 commercial and/or other buildings, with significant damage caused to 10,000 homes (damage worth over $1,000) 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 local television station NBN with a union representative.

Statistics
Intensity map for the event
  • Deaths: 13 total, including;
    • 9 people who were killed at the Newcastle Workers Club
    • 3 people who were killed in Beaumont Street, Hamilton
    • 1 person who died of earthquake induced shock
  • Injuries: 160 people were hospitalised.
  • Damaged buildings: 50,000 buildings were damaged; about 80 percent of these were homes.
  • Demolition: 300 buildings were demolished including more than 100 homes, The Newcastle Workers Club, The Century Theatre and King's Hall.
  • Human effects: 300,000 people were affected and 1,000 made homeless.
  • Cost: The total financial cost of the earthquake is estimated to have amounted to about $4 billion.
  • Felt area: Estimated 800 km (500 mi) around the epicentre.
  • Magnitude: 5.6 ML; 5.4 mb; VIII MMI[1]
  • Epicentre: Boolaroo
  • Aftershocks: One aftershock (M 2.1 on the Richter scale) was recorded on 29 December 1989.[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.[3][4] This is in addition to reports by the former head of Geoscience Australia's earthquake monitoring group, Dr David Denham, who stated that the Newcastle earthquake was 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".[5]

Despite the existence of records of previous earthquakes in the area, even the most recent construction codes at the time of the earthquake (issued in 1979) required neither the adoption of earthquake-resistant design regulations in Newcastle, nor the strengthening of old buildings, although they did encourage owners to provide more than the minimum strength.[6]

Songs about the Newcastle earthquake include "Earthquakin'", recorded in January 1990 by Newcastle Ska Band The Porkers, and "Faultline" by Australian rock band Silverchair, from 1995. Silverchair lead singer Daniel Johns lost a childhood friend during the earthquake.[7] Patrick Cullen's collection of stories, "What Came Between", begins with the earthquake.[8] Aftershocks, a 1991 play by Paul Brown, is based on interviews with members of the destroyed Newcastle Workers Club.[9]

References
  1. "Significant Earthquake". National Geophysical Data Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  2. "Earthquake". Newcastle City Council. Archived from the original on 10 March 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  3. "Mining triggered Newcastle quake, says US academic". ABC News Online. 9 January 2007. Archived from the original on 3 April 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
  4. C. Sinadinovski; T. Jones; D. Stewart; And N. Corby. "Earthquake Factsheets – Newcastle" (PDF). Geoscience Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  5. "Australian experts reject Newcastle quake claims". ABC News Online. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2008.
  6. "Earthquake History, Regional Seismicity and the 1989 Newcastle Earthquake". Geoscience Australia. 22 June 2004. Archived from the original on 26 August 2004. Retrieved 27 June 2007.
  7. "Behind the News (ABC TV news program)". 16 November 2007. Archived from the original on 26 April 2009.
  8. "What Came Between (Book)". 9 April 2011. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  9. "Aftershocks". australianplays.org. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
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