10-10-2007, 11:51 AM
WA earthquake rocks southern Wheatbelt
The quake in WA's southern Wheatbelt affected towns and properties in a 140 kilometre radius. (User submitted: Mari Walker)
An earthquake, which authorities describe as the biggest in four decades, has been recorded in Western Australia's southern Wheatbelt.
The quake measured 4.8 on the Richter scale and was centred just south of Katanning.
It was felt by people hundreds of kilometres away, from the nearby towns of Katanning and Kojonup, to Cowaramup and Margaret River in the South West, all the way to Perth.
GeoScience Australia's duty seismologist, Spiro Spiliopoulos, says it is the largest quake to hit the Great Southern in decades.
"It is the biggest earthquake in about 40 years so it is unusual in that regard," he said.
Dr Spiliopoulos says tremors were even felt in some high rise buildings in Perth, more than 270 kilometres away.
Retired Kojonup farmer Chris Evans says he noticed the quake just before 8am.
"The floor moved quite noticeably through the whole house," he said.
"I was sitting in the office chair on carpeted floor and I could feel it moving up and down."
Broome Hill resident Grant Taylor, whose house suffered minor damage, says he heard a deafening boom just before 8am.
"Mainly down one end of the house. There are some big cracks in the brickwork," he said.
Bridgetown resident, Clive Smith, says, at first, he was not sure that he was experiencing an earthquake.
"I thought maybe the house was falling apart so I actually went under and checked the house because we've got a dodgy stump in one corner," he said.
"I was so relieved to hear that there had been an earthquake and it wasn't my imagination."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/...055826.htm
The quake in WA's southern Wheatbelt affected towns and properties in a 140 kilometre radius. (User submitted: Mari Walker)
An earthquake, which authorities describe as the biggest in four decades, has been recorded in Western Australia's southern Wheatbelt.
The quake measured 4.8 on the Richter scale and was centred just south of Katanning.
It was felt by people hundreds of kilometres away, from the nearby towns of Katanning and Kojonup, to Cowaramup and Margaret River in the South West, all the way to Perth.
GeoScience Australia's duty seismologist, Spiro Spiliopoulos, says it is the largest quake to hit the Great Southern in decades.
"It is the biggest earthquake in about 40 years so it is unusual in that regard," he said.
Dr Spiliopoulos says tremors were even felt in some high rise buildings in Perth, more than 270 kilometres away.
Retired Kojonup farmer Chris Evans says he noticed the quake just before 8am.
"The floor moved quite noticeably through the whole house," he said.
"I was sitting in the office chair on carpeted floor and I could feel it moving up and down."
Broome Hill resident Grant Taylor, whose house suffered minor damage, says he heard a deafening boom just before 8am.
"Mainly down one end of the house. There are some big cracks in the brickwork," he said.
Bridgetown resident, Clive Smith, says, at first, he was not sure that he was experiencing an earthquake.
"I thought maybe the house was falling apart so I actually went under and checked the house because we've got a dodgy stump in one corner," he said.
"I was so relieved to hear that there had been an earthquake and it wasn't my imagination."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/...055826.htm