Killer earthquakes shake scientific thought

What is the Richter Scale?

01 Mar 2010, 2:12AM

Earthquakes are measured in the Richter magnitude scale, in which a number quantifies the amount of seismic energy released.
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Indian Ocean countries to stage tsunami test

14 Oct 2009, 7:52AM

Australia and 17 other Indian Ocean rim countries will stage the first region-wide test of a tsunami warning system, to coincide with the UN's World Disaster Reduction Day.
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• Video shows cars tossed by tsunami waves
• Samoa mourns tsunami victims
• Quake hits Pacific, no tsunami alert

Indonesia mulls declaring villages mass graves

08 Oct 2009, 6:44AM

Villages buried in landslides triggered by last week's earthquake may be declared mass graves, Indonesian authorities say as relief agencies battled to reach remote areas.
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• Australian medical team arrives in Padang
• Fears corruption will swallow quake money
• Quake-hit villages may become ''graves''

Australian medical team arrives in Padang

07 Oct 2009, 6:48AM

A medical team of 22 medical experts, plus supplies, are on the ground to help out in earthquake-devastated Padang in Indonesia. Read more

• Sumatra earthquake
• Quake-hit villages may become ''graves''
• Australia to aid disaster-hit families

Fears corruption will swallow quake money

06 Oct 2009, 8:03PM

Many Indonesians fear government aid money set aside to help victims of last week's massive earthquake in Sumatra will be lost to corruption.
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• Quake-hit villages may become ''graves''
• Australia to aid disaster-hit families
• Indonesia calls off rescue efforts

Indonesia calls off rescue efforts

06 Oct 2009, 9:50AM

Indonesia has called off the search for survivors in the quake-hit city of Padang as officials sought to contain the risk of disease caused by thousands of trapped bodies.
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• Padang picks up the pieces
• Sumatra earthquake

Padang picks up the pieces

06 Oct 2009, 6:48AM

The traumatised people of Padang began piecing their shattered homes and businesses back together, hoping that painful lessons would be learnt ahead of the far bigger quake that seismologists say is coming. Read more

Hopes end for buried Indonesians

05 Oct 2009, 8:15PM

Indonesia has called off the search for quake survivors as efforts are made to hand out vital supplies and combat the risk of disease.

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• Australians still missing after quake
• Samoa, Sumatra: How you can help

Australians still missing after quake

05 Oct 2009, 3:38PM

Seventeen Australians are still missing after the deadly earthquakes that hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra last week. Read more

• Search ends in quake-hit city of Padang
• Second earthquake hits Indonesia
• ''Thousands'' trapped in rubble

Rescuers head for quake-ravaged Sumatra

03 Oct 2009, 4:59PM

Nations around the world have sent rescuers and relief supplies to the Sumatra quake zone but the UN said it needs an official request from Indonesia to release thousands of tonnes of food.
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• Australian help arrives in Sumatra
• Race to save Sumatra quake buried
• Sumatra quake toll rising fast