Meckering lies 130 km east from Perth. Although this earthquake was not the largest in Western Australia's history, it was certainly the most significant in terms of damage done and cultural upheaval. It caused ground rupturing nearly 40km long, some of which can still be seen today. The maximum felt intensity on the Modified Mercalli Scale was 9. The damage exceeded five million dollars (in 1968 dollars). Meckering's population at the time was approximately 240. Twenty people were injured but amazingly nobody was killed.
This is the Meckering hotel after the earthquake:
and this is a section of twisted railway line which gives an indication of how destructive this quake was:
Phil and I, with our two children and my mum, were away that long weekend and when the earthquake occurred we were in Pemberton, 329 km south of Perth. Phil and Steve were half way up the big lookout tree and Mum, Karen and I heard what sounded like heavy rain and wind coming through the karri forest. We called for Phil and Steve to come down and when they did they wondered why we had called them as nothing happened. It was not until we arrived at Manjimup (295 south of Perth) we learned of the earthquake and realised that was the noise we had heard. There were also a few bits and pieces (large potplants and the like) that had toppled over in the main street of that town. We continued to get after shocks in Perth for some time afterwards.
Amazing that you heard and felt the effects of that earthquake for so far away!
ReplyDeleteI'm very glad we here in Australia don't get earthquakes as strong and as frequently as many other places.
Adelaide has had a few, but mostly just and earth tremor, no sooner felt than gone.
That was one very powerful earthquake and we can only hope there won't be another of that size. There was another a few years after this one out in the country but the damage was much less.
DeleteWe have a very long fault line running down through the state which sends the odd tremor occasionally.
It's amazing to think that our planet is still alive and squirming inside isn't it? Where we live in Ontario there is a fault line passing through....I don't think anyone has put up a sign yet though lol.
ReplyDeleteOur planet is still very much alive and even if we eventually kill off every living thing it will go on living.
DeleteI think that sign went up after the event (probably for tourists).
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteDidn't know about this one Mimsie... I was in Turramurra,Northern Sydney when the Newcastle 'quake went through. There was minor damage to the house and a few broken items from falling; I had a sensation which would best be described as 'a dizzy turn' - only it wasn't me who was turning!!! YAM xx
I remember the Newcastle 'quake. Sounded nasty.
DeleteI too get strange feeling when there are tremors. I remember being at lunch perhaps a few months after the Meckering quake and I felt as though the chair I was sitting on was quivering. No-one else seemed to notice anything. I heard on the news later that day we'd had a tremor in Perth at the exact time I'd felt a wee bit strange. Perhaps some of us are more susceptible than others. xx
That last photo is neat.
ReplyDeleteI no like earthquakes. My BIL lives in northern California...gets busted plaster every now and then from the frequent quakes they have up there.
Hurricanes are bad...but I'll take them over earthquakes.
I have a cousin that lives in Napa CA and I'd rather be living where I am than over there.
DeleteI agree with you. Hurricanes (cyclones as we call them) can be devastating but no real comparison with a really nasty earthquake.