The Newcastle Earthquake

1989 Australia: The Newcastle Earthquake: At 10:27 am Australia's first recorded deadly earthquake occurred in Newcastle, New South Wales. Thirteen people were killed (nine in the Newcastle Workers Club) and more than 100 injured in the 5.6 Richter quake. Fifty thousand buildings were damaged, approximately 40,000 of which were homes.

Your almanackist felt the earth move at Randwick, a suburb of Sydney about 290 km (180 mi) from Newcastle, at the very same moment he was writing a letter to a mate in San Francisco referring to the October 17 Loma Prieta earthquake in that friend’s neck of the woods.

Tagged: australia