If an earthquake similar in size to the 5.9 magnitude tremor that hit Mansfield last week was to strike directly beneath Melbourne, more than 1400 people could be killed or injured and $163 billion worth of building damage sustained.
People have been killed in Christchurch in New Zealand when similar parapets fell to the ground during earthquakes. Melbourne’s building code requires new commercial buildings and residential towers to be able to withstand an earthquake of between 6.5 and 7 magnitude; but there are no rules for homes, nor for buildings built before 1989.
“People think we are safe - we are not safe. We will see more severe earthquakes in the future,” Professor Mendis said.Dr Duffy said Victoria was capable of experiencing a magnitude 7 earthquake, although that would be extremely rare; other experts put the probability of a magnitude 6 earthquake hitting Melbourne at one in 1000. Dr Duffy said authorities should prepare for that scenario and consider what buildings needed reinforcement and who would pay for it.
We should lock down and have mandated hard hats
Fear porn from the makers of popcorn and wonka factory jab lottery tickets. No ethical standards. More paid for content writing and no real journalism. Just a rag of lies and fear. Glad I left the media 20 years ago when I saw where it was going.
Too busy trying to take away civil liberties & freedoms to worry about anything else.
I thought it was just Gladys and Dan changing sides in bed that caused it
Citywide shut-down, how would we know the difference?
More modeling.. Everything based on a computer 🤦♂️
We are not safety now, we have not been even in our private residential,not at work,no in the footpaths, not in running by local government venues,but nobody cares from government agencies authorities, my evidence, understanding experiences
I'm not even bothering reading this, it's sure to be a beat up designed to get hits for revenue, sorry The Age, you do it too much, try a different tactic. Honesty.
Panic merchants at it again.
Retrospective legislation requiring fixing back all masonry to structure on existing buildings would be a very hard political sell for 1 in 200 year events
Didn't we just have a magnitude 6 and only one building was seriously damaged?
Great, thanks. Still anxious from last week and I have to worry of it happening again as a sitting duck in a 50yo concrete building.
We are already in a citywide lockdown🙄
Global warming strikes again ,waiting for it .