Norseman earthquakes see town declared Australia's shakiest town

The West Australian mining town of Norseman has become Australia's shakiest town after a series of earthquakes.

There have been more than 30 earthquakes reported near Norseman, 720 kilometres from Perth, in the past month.
The events were triggered by a magnitude-4.9 earthquake on May 29, which was followed by a magnitude-5.2 quake.
Since then more than 40 earthquakes have been recorded in the region, the largest of which was a magnitude-5.6 on July 8.
Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Dan Jaksa said the last time Norseman had this much earthquake activity was in 1985.
"There was one a similar magnitude to the one that occurred a couple of weeks ago, a 5.6," he said.
"An aftershock sequence happened for about five years afterwards, there were a number of magnitude fours and threes, and slowly the frequency of those events died away.
"We are actually seeing the same sort of activity now in 2016."

'You always need to be prepared for the unexpected'

Mr Jaksa said it was difficult to say whether this sequence of earthquake would continue for a similar number of years.
"But in all likelihood it will be very similar," he said.
"There will be a decay in the frequency of earthquakes and the magnitude."

Photo: The earthquakes have caused cracks in St Joseph's Catholic Church, Norseman. (ABC News: Nathan Morris)

 

Mr Jaksa said there was "no doubt" Norseman was currently the nation's shakiest town.
"I just got off the phone from the Norseman police station and I think they are feeling a little bit fatigued by the number of earthquakes that are happening," he said.
"The magnitude 5s can shake Norseman for about 30 seconds."
Mr Jaksa could not rule out a magnitude-6 earthquake occurring.

"Unfortunately at the moment there is no ability to predict earthquakes," Mr Jaksa said.

"There is every possibility that another earthquake can occur of magnitude 5.
"There has never been a magnitude-6 in that region so the possibility of a magnitude-6 is less likely, but you can't discount it.
"You always need to be prepared for the unexpected."

Quakes cause property damage worries for residents

Locals are growing increasingly worried about damage to their properties and belongings.
Norseman resident Sheila Tiefenbacher collects valuable china dolls, among other items, and currently has no insurance.

Photo: Sheila Tiefenbacher's collectibles have been valued at more than $250,000. (ABC News: Nathan Morris)

She said her full collection had previously been valued at more than $250,000.
"A lot of this stuff is one offs, you would never see it again," she said.
Mrs Tiefenbacher said when the first earthquake hit, she was at home and could hear things falling from shelves.
"The first thing I thought of was the china dolls," she said.
"They are all on a glass shelf and the glass shelf started to move. That was just one of [the earthquakes]. Since then we've had a series and I have had to move a lot of stuff.
"Since May they have been practically every second day, it's very scary."

 

  Photo: John Peckham said the series of earthquakes had put cracks in Norseman's St Joseph's Catholic Church. (ABC News: Nathan Morris)

 

Norseman parishioner John Peckham said the recent earthquakes had caused cracks to appear in the facade of the St Joseph's Catholic Church.
"Apparently there was an earthquake about 28 years ago which did some slight damage to the church," Mr Peckham said.

"But these two major earthquakes we've had recently have increased [the damage] immensely.

"It has split the bricks and gone right down to the floor, it has even cracked the statue up on the roof.
"The insurance company sent down two gentlemen and they have taken photos and information, now it's in their hands.
"So what do we do with it? Well, it's a matter I suppose of how much money we've got. But it's a hell of a big job to have to pull that big front down. We will have to wait and see."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-23/norseman-earthquakes-see-town-declared-australias-shakiest-town/7655068