In Japan we expect one good shake of the earth every year and minor shakes on average once a month or so. I had no idea they had seismic faults here in Queensland though. The Townsville Bulletin reports of an earthquake that had its epicenter 100km offshore and measured 4.5 on the richter scale. I think the Japanese would consider 4.5 a ripple rather than a shake, but it does so much depend on what you are used to and where you are when it hits. The higher up you are, the more you feel it and any shake at all takes on a whole different meaning when you're a house owner - earthquake insurance, in Japan at least, is expensive and not comprehensive.
Townsville is about 350km south of Cairns.
Posted by Joe at August 12, 2003 10:27 AMDidn't even know it was available. When I asked about it the agent just laughed and said, 'C'mon, this is *Japan*!'
Posted by: DJ at August 12, 2003 03:50 PMI think you can get it, but there is something like a 10 million yen upper limit and from what I remember of the aftermath of the big Kobe earthquake, the insurance companies don't pay up for fires after an earthquake (typically more damage is done by fire than the quake itself) and so you're buggered anyway. Also the premium is very high!
Posted by: Joe at August 12, 2003 04:03 PMI haven't experienced a real earthquake for more than 10 years now, although I do live on a rather busy road. Every time an articulated lorry passes it's almost exactly like a minor tremor in California...
Posted by: Lisa at August 14, 2003 05:32 AM