Experts say the Victoria earthquake was likely caused by New Zealand tectonic pressure

He said Woods Point and Likola may have sustained significant damage.

Aftershocks were likely, said Mark Quigley, associate professor of seismology at the University of Melbourne.

” Aftershocks are common after an earthquake. They are usually not the same size – you would expect smaller vibrations. People should be careful and vigilant that they may experience aftershocks. If you have some of your belongings precariously placed on a shelf, it may be wise to move them.”

Six on the scale

Geologists measure an earthquake’s energy on a scale of motion, which is logarithmic: level 6 is 10 times higher than level 5, for example. Earthquakes less than 3 generally cannot be felt by humans.

Geoscience Australia estimates the quake had a magnitude of about 5.9 and was 10 kilometers below the surface.

The Christchurch earthquake was measured at 6.3 but it caused huge damage to the city of New Zealand because it struck directly and was very shallow.

The scale of motion does not measure damage from an earthquake, as earthquakes of the same magnitude can cause different amounts of damage depending on how deep they are and where they occur.

fault line

The cause of the quake is not yet certain, but early geologists’ suspicions focused on a fault zone at the epicenter, near the Mount Scene Preserve.

download

A fault zone is an area of ​​weakness in the Earth’s crust caused by a fracture or series of fractures in rocks. During an earthquake, the rocks on either side of the fault zone can suddenly slide relative to each other.

Melbourne is in an area that was “part of an ancient mountain belt that formed there between 350 and 450 million years ago,” University of Sydney geologist Patrice Ray said. “These mountain layers left areas of weakness, in the form of cracks and fractures.”

When pressure builds up in tectonic plates, it can be released suddenly at weak points – such as faults.

“As if you break something, even if you can stick it again, it usually breaks again in the same place,” Professor Ray said.

The pressure may have been caused by events far away in eastern Australia.

“We can blame the kiwis for this earthquake, to an extent,” said Paul Somerville, chief geoscientist at Risk Frontiers, which specializes in disaster loss models.

Australia is a generally stable continent. But all continents are subject to tectonic pressures.

The two islands of New Zealand are located on the edge of the tectonic plates of Australia and the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific plate is slowly moving westward toward the Australian plate, causing mountain ranges in Australia – such as the Strzelecki Ranges – to be pushed upward.

It causes stress across the Australian plate, which can release suddenly when malfunctions occur.

“Although thrust occurs at the margin of the plate, it creates pressure within the Australian plate. From time to time, this pressure exceeds the force of the fault locally, and it fails,” said Mr. Somerville.

built to face

Australian Building Code states that properties must withstand ground acceleration of 8 to 9 per cent.

“The ground shaking caused by this earthquake would be 1 per cent — well below this design level. That’s why it didn’t really do much damage,” Mr. Somerville said.

However, he said, the ground acceleration may have been closer to 8 or 9 percent near the epicenter, and more damage may have been done there.

download

Associate Professor Behzad Fattahi, an expert in earthquake engineering at the University of Technology Sydney, said Australian multi-storey buildings are generally designed to withstand earthquakes in the region of magnitude 6.

He said the structures most at risk would be outdoor extensions and additions, such as café openings and outdoor dining areas.

“I suppose most of the damage I would expect to see is in regional Victoria, but basically I would expect more reports to come from Melbourne – these secondary structures, attached to the main buildings, would be damaged. And they are of course very serious. People are outside, walking past, They may run out of building.”

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos