Its a big shock to everyone in chch, thats for sure, I used to work with a few people from CTV there, two of them perished in the CTV building which collapsed, the scariest thing being, theres no knowning for the people there that the same thing won't happen again in the next hour, day, week, or month....
As for Perth, the fault line that caused the 6.9 earthquake in '68, was
Meckering .... around 130km east of Perth, and like most, was apparently dormant for some 10,000 years apparently, until one day, it decided to wake up and hence destroyed the town (Meckering).
ONE of the world's biggest fault lines runs through WA's back yard.
The Darling Fault is a 950km fracture that stretches from north to south. Not a single quake has been recorded on the fault line, which was formed millions of years ago when India and Australia separated.
But if it were to rupture, Perth would be destroyed, scientists say.
UWA geophysics professor Michael Dentith said the chances of a quake on the fault were minuscule.
``But the fact that we haven't seen an earthquake when we have had instruments down there doesn't actually mean there couldn't be one,'' he said.
``It's one of the intriguing things about WA geology. We know there is this huge stress because (earthquakes) are occurring inland, but why are they not occurring on the biggest fault?''
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A complicated series of fault lines called the South-West seismic zone also runs under WA.
The fault lines were responsible for the state's most destructive earthquake in Meckering in October 1968. The zone runs from Albany to Moora.
International Seismological Centre chairman Gary Gibson said the South-West seismic zone had been ``incredibly active'' for the past 50 years.
“It is much more active than is average. In the last few years it has had a few earthquakes and it is possible that the active period could continue,” Dr Gibson said.
In the past month seven small earthquakes registering no more than magnitude 2.7 on the Modified Mercalli scale _ now used in place of the Richter scale _ have been recorded near Koorda and Dalwallinu, according to the Geoscience Australia website.
Five large quakes have rocked the state since records began, according to the University of Western Australia. The most destructive, in Meckering, measured 6.9 and caused more than $5 million damage.
But at magnitude 7.2, the Meeberrie earthquake, 690km northeast of Perth on April 29, 1941, is Australia's biggest.
Not trying to scare anyone! just more for ur info.
