Earthquake in Australia: Huge earthquake hit Darwin yesterday

Earthquake in Australia: Huge earthquake hit Darwin yesterday

A strong earthquake shook Darwin and caught its residents in their sleep
By: Oliver Koester
February 10, 2006
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A MAGNITUDE 7.7 earthquake, the strongest in over four decades, rocked Darwin for about 60 seconds yesterday, waking residents from their deep sleep and shaking furniture, but left no major damage.

According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, in Hawaii, the quake happend in the Banda Sea, approximately 800km north-northwest of Darwin, early yesterday. It was deep, about 340km under the surface, but a tsunami is not expected. The quake had a magnitude of 7.7 and hit Darwin in the middle of the night. The quake was felt in Tual, Ambon, and Saumlaki, Sorong in the Papua province, the Maluku island chain, Kupang and south Sulawesi, all of which encircled the quake's epicentre.

Due to the quake´s timing only a few residents called the police to find out what was going on. Luckily there had been no reports of major damage. Residents reported windows rattling and furniture shaking as the quake rocked Darwin for about 60 seconds.

Many people called The Sunday Territorian to report the quake. A Leanyer resident said, "the whole house shook, and even the water in the pool started moving from side to side." "The walls were shaking, and the doors and windows rattling. It was quite frightening. The animals went crazy and the cat and dog went and hid under a bed."

A 43-year-old Jingili woman said her elevated house shook for about a minute and she was frightened for her young children. A 60-year-old Palmerston man said everything in his house shook, including beds and cupboards.

Last nights quake was not the first to hit Darwin. It was rocked by a 5.3 magnitude quake last November and by a 7.1 magnitude quake last March. The biggest recorded quake to hit Darwin was 8.2 on the Richter scale in 1963. It happened in the same area as yesterday's quake.


Resource:  The Sunday Territorian - January 29, 2006