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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The Fiordland Earthquake



"Hi Mr Campbell" we were talking to a Geologist that research's scientists. He was going to tell us about the Fiordland Earthquake that happened at the South Island. This happened on July 16th 09. Luckily that there were no people killed by that Earthquake. That Earthquake was 30 seconds long. The name of this earthquake is called Dusky Sound Earthquake.

Earthquakes are so dangerous because they happen so quickly. They do not give warnings e.g (When a Tornado comes or a Volcano is going to erupt they give us warnings before they come.) Well this is a bit different when an earthquake comes people do not know whether they are going to come or not. Mr Campbell told us that in Tangshan, China 1976 there was an earthquake. It was for 15 seconds and 242, 000 people died from that earthquake.

So this earthquake in Fiordland was 7.6 big this is the biggest earthquake after 80 years. This earthquake had also made New Zealand move 30 cm closer to Australia. We were amazed when we heard that. Mr Campbell also told us that the plates had collided and the pacific plate was on top of the Australian plate and it was 30 degrees apart from each other. He said that the epicentre was by the resolution island.

Yesterday we made a Seismometer this is something that tells you how big a earthquake is. In my group it was Toreka, Seini-Mino and me. We had a little mistake doing this because we needed a real Earthquake happening but it was so much fun making it. You might want to look at some of my other posts and in there I will be telling you how to make a seismometer.

At the end Hamish Campbell told us that Joan Wiffen had died, "Ohhhh" we said after he had told us.  Joan Wiffen is a New Zealand Paleontologist she had discovered the first dinosaur fossil in New Zealand.

Thank you Diana-Grace and Hamish Campbell from the Te Papa Museum for letting us talk to you this was a wonderful opportunity to talk to you.  We hope we talk to you again. 

Here are some sights where it will tell you about Joan Wiffen:
1. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10581930 

3 comments:

  1. Hi Mubasshira thank you for blogging me. After i flew the kites with my cousin. I packed my clothes and toys and stuff and said my goodbyes and went to the airport.

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  2. Good work Mubasshira! You have accurately recalled all the fascinating facts we learnt from Hamish during our video conference. Your post was enjoyable in that your sentences and ideas link well. Keep up the good work Mubasshira. I think your writing is improving with every post your publish.
    Mrs Tele'a

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