How people with disabilities experienced the 5.9 magnitude Victoria earthquake

Chiara Lennon woke up from yesterday’s earthquake, which nearly dropped some potted plants in her seventh-floor apartment.

Key points: The 5.9-magnitude earthquake was followed by six aftershocks. Some Melbourne residents with disabilities experienced the tremors differently, and pets and assistance animals were more vigilant when the earthquake struck.

“My bed was rocking and rolling,” she said with a laugh.

Lennon, 61, was left stunned after the 5.9-magnitude quake, waiting to see if aftershocks would follow.

She is legally blind and has some physical disabilities, which can make getting around a challenge.

If the earthquake had been more severe and she had moved or dislodged things in her house, it would have been difficult for her to orient herself, let alone get out of the building.

Mrs. Lennon said it was fortunate that her daughter was there, and she went into her room to alert her of the earthquake.

“I don’t know what anxiety I would have felt had my daughter not been here,” she said.

The facade of a building on Chapel Street was damaged by earthquakes. (

Agence France-Presse: William West

)

Later, Ms. Lennon said she was told by neighbors that some residents had vacated her Carlton social housing building, but she was disappointed that no one knocked on her door to check on her.

“It made me feel kind of forgetful,” she said.

A Homes Victoria spokesperson told ABC that there were no evictions of any public housing towers due to the earthquake, but that inspections of the tallest towers are ongoing.

ABC is aware that there have been reports of water leaks and minor cracks in the walls.

“We are responding to reports of minor damage to a small number of public housing as a result of yesterday’s earthquake, and are working with tenants to identify any other issues or concerns,” the spokesperson said.

Ms. Lennon’s earthquake has brought her safety and security back to the fore – but that has been simmering throughout the pandemic.

I felt, ‘Are we a hidden number?’ “Then with the pandemic and COVID, we are being pushed more and more into the shadows.”

“I felt it was an issue that should be highlighted… If I was one, how many more [are] Inaudible or invisible? “

Silent tremors for the deaf community in Melbourne

While many Victorians were alerted to the earthquake by the rattling of furniture, this was not the case for Megan Grant.

The 44-year-old was walking into her sitting room to open her wooden Venetian blinds when the earthquake struck.

Mrs. Grant realized an earthquake when the curtains began to wiggle.

supplied.

)

“I didn’t have my ‘ear’,” she told ABC in an email. I’m severely deaf and hear absolutely nothing without my cochlear speech processors.

“I was confused when I noticed the curtains were wobbly.”

I thought the glass windows might have shattered.

“I remember hesitating before opening the blinds and feeling comfortable when there weren’t any broken windows.”

“I was thinking my brain was playing tricks on me and then I realized it might have been an earthquake. I did a quick Google search that confirmed it.”

She also had some indications that something was wrong because her cockatiel was “more vigilant than usual and was walking on her perch.”

Her hearing aid dog, George, was also more alert.

Talking to children about earthquakes

This morning’s earthquake came as a shock to everyone. But for kids, it can be even more frightening and confusing.

Read more

“I remember him raising his head very quickly and jumping out of his bed which is a bit unusual because he likes to take his time and stretch when getting up,” she said.

Mrs. Grant said that other deaf friends who felt the quake did not hear the rumbling – one thought his wife was hitting the sofa to get his attention, while another thought her children were arguing upstairs.

“I felt reasonably calm when all this was happening,” she said.

“I was probably glad I didn’t put my ear to my ear because I think I would have been more upset if I had heard the crackle.”

Disasters are an opportunity to connect

Nadia Matiazzo, acting CEO of Women with Disabilities Victoria, said she thought her dog was scratching itself when the earthquake struck.

“Then I realized, no, when dogs scratch, the whole house doesn’t vibrate,” she said.

“The house was kind of moving from side to side, but also a bit like an ocean, up and down.

“There was a lot of noise, there was a lot of squeaking… It was very strange.”

Ms Matiazzo says her partner thought her dog was jumping on the bed before realizing it was an earthquake.

supplied

)

Some people have also worked for her organization in New Zealand, evoking some past memories of devastating earthquakes.

She said that people like her who live in a blind home may have no idea if there is structural damage to their building.

She said there would be some differences in the experience – for example, for a wheelchair user on a high floor who couldn’t leave their house quickly.

“But, you know, he’s a lot like everyone else,” she said.

Closure harms people with disabilities

Closing down daily programs for people with disabilities has seriously harmed the mental health of many clients – and the effects can be long-lasting.

Read more

For many people who may already be feeling isolated by the pandemic and earthquake, she said, it is worth reviewing and debriefing.

Ross Joyce, chief executive of the Australian Federation of Disability Organizations, agreed it was important for neighbors to check in with each other, especially if they had problems getting around.

He said he knew people who lived on the 30th floor of buildings who were completely shaken by him.

“It’s fine if someone knocks on the door and goes, is everything alright, do you need anything?”

“People say we’re separated, but I’ve seen a lot of communication happen through the community.

“The great thing about Australian design is that we really want to take care of each other.”

.

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