Great Adelaide Earthquake
Encyclopedia
The Great Adelaide Earthquake had its center at Darlington
, some 12 km (7.5 mi) to the south of Adelaide
in South Australia
. It took place at 03.40 in the early morning of March 1, 1954 and had a reported magnitude
of 5.6. The quake is thought to have started along the Eden-Burnside fault line, which is essentially the Hills face zone, at a depth of 4km although, due to lack of instruments, this is uncertain.
As Australia lies in the middle of a tectonic plate, South Australia is relatively stable geologically, however, South Australia is the most earthquake prone of the Australian states with around 20 tremors every year. Most are however, of a magnitude below 3.5, noteworthy only to seismologists, and since they are dispersed fairly evenly across the state
, most take place well away from centers of human population. The Great Adelaide Earthquake was different because of its magnitude, which made it the fourth most intense earthquake reported in the state since settlement in 1836, and because it took place in an area of dense human settlement, under a suburb of the state capital, Adelaide.
One of the settlement’s earliest buildings, the Victoria Hotel, suffered partial collapse. Other major buildings severely damaged included the local church, St Francis Xavier Cathedral, the Adelaide Post Office clock tower and a newly completed hospital in Blackwood
which sustained major damage in all its wards and offices (though an operating theatre survived). The Britannia statue in Pirie Street, Adelaide
was badly damaged, and since it had also been similarly damaged in the 1897 Beachport
and 1902 Warooka
earthquakes, the clock in the statue was permanently removed.
Outside of Adelaide there was little damage. The Troubridge lighthouse on Kangaroo Island
shut down after the quake damaged its generator and the Cape St. Auburn's lighthouse on Yorke Peninsula
, 83 km west of Adelaide across the Gulf St Vincent, began flashing irregularly.
The total cost of damage was estimated at around £17 million (2010: $500 million) but only £3 million (2010:$90 million) was paid out in insurance for 30,303 claims covering around 22% of the damaged buildings. Adelaide in 1954 was still subject to wartime rationing, and most of the damaged property was not insured.
This earthquake was Australia's most destructive until it was eclipsed by the 5.6 Richter magnitude Newcastle earthquake
in 1989 which caused $4 billion damage, killed 16 people and injured 160. On 19 October 2011, Adelaide was shaken by a 3.4 Richter magnitude earthquake with it's epicentre located 8km east from that of the 1954 earthquake. No damage was reported.
Darlington, South Australia
Darlington is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia part of which is in the City of Onkaparinga and the City of Marion.-References:...
, some 12 km (7.5 mi) to the south of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. It took place at 03.40 in the early morning of March 1, 1954 and had a reported magnitude
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
of 5.6. The quake is thought to have started along the Eden-Burnside fault line, which is essentially the Hills face zone, at a depth of 4km although, due to lack of instruments, this is uncertain.
As Australia lies in the middle of a tectonic plate, South Australia is relatively stable geologically, however, South Australia is the most earthquake prone of the Australian states with around 20 tremors every year. Most are however, of a magnitude below 3.5, noteworthy only to seismologists, and since they are dispersed fairly evenly across the state
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, most take place well away from centers of human population. The Great Adelaide Earthquake was different because of its magnitude, which made it the fourth most intense earthquake reported in the state since settlement in 1836, and because it took place in an area of dense human settlement, under a suburb of the state capital, Adelaide.
Damage
An area of more than 700 km² sustained an intensity greater than magnitude 5.0. Due to the Adelaide plains being primarily heavy clay, amplification of the tremor was reduced, resulting in less damage than a quake of this size would normally be expected to cause in a metropolitan area. There were no reported fatalities and 16 reported injuries.One of the settlement’s earliest buildings, the Victoria Hotel, suffered partial collapse. Other major buildings severely damaged included the local church, St Francis Xavier Cathedral, the Adelaide Post Office clock tower and a newly completed hospital in Blackwood
Blackwood, South Australia
Blackwood is a south eastern suburb located in the foothills of Adelaide, South Australia.-History:The first use of the name "Blackwood" appears to have been before 1880, in relation to the "Blackwood Inn", a small hotel located where the Belair Hotel now stands, and was probably derived from the...
which sustained major damage in all its wards and offices (though an operating theatre survived). The Britannia statue in Pirie Street, Adelaide
Pirie Street, Adelaide
Pirie Street is a road on the east side of the centre of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It runs east-west, between East Terrace and King William Street. After crossing King William Street, it continues as Waymouth Street...
was badly damaged, and since it had also been similarly damaged in the 1897 Beachport
Beachport, South Australia
Beachport is a small coastal town 379 kilometres south-east of Adelaide, South Australia, located in the Wattle Range Council. Known for its 772 metre long jetty , Beachport is located on the northern end of Rivoli Bay...
and 1902 Warooka
Warooka, South Australia
Warooka is a town on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, known as the 'Gateway to the bottom end'.At the 2006 census, Warooka had a population of 247....
earthquakes, the clock in the statue was permanently removed.
Outside of Adelaide there was little damage. The Troubridge lighthouse on Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island is Australia's third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. It is southwest of Adelaide at the entrance of Gulf St Vincent. Its closest point to the mainland is off Cape Jervis, on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula in the state of South Australia. The island is long...
shut down after the quake damaged its generator and the Cape St. Auburn's lighthouse on Yorke Peninsula
Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula is a peninsula located north-west and west of Adelaide in South Australia, Australia, between Spencer Gulf on the west and Gulf St Vincent on the east. It has geographic coordinates of...
, 83 km west of Adelaide across the Gulf St Vincent, began flashing irregularly.
The total cost of damage was estimated at around £17 million (2010: $500 million) but only £3 million (2010:$90 million) was paid out in insurance for 30,303 claims covering around 22% of the damaged buildings. Adelaide in 1954 was still subject to wartime rationing, and most of the damaged property was not insured.
This earthquake was Australia's most destructive until it was eclipsed by the 5.6 Richter magnitude Newcastle earthquake
1989 Newcastle earthquake
The 1989 Newcastle earthquake was a Richter magnitude 5.6 earthquake that occurred in Newcastle, New South Wales on Thursday, 28 December 1989, at 10:27 am. It was one of Australia's most serious natural disasters, killing 13 people and injuring more than 160...
in 1989 which caused $4 billion damage, killed 16 people and injured 160. On 19 October 2011, Adelaide was shaken by a 3.4 Richter magnitude earthquake with it's epicentre located 8km east from that of the 1954 earthquake. No damage was reported.