1989 West Papua earthquake

UTC time| 1989-08-01 00:18:04
ISC event| 393850
USGS-ANSS| ComCat
Local date| August 1, 1989 (1989-08-01)
Local time| 9:18 WITA
Magnitude| 6.0 Mw
Epicenter| 4°30′40″S 139°01′19″E﻿ / ﻿4.511°S 139.022°E﻿ / -4.511; 139.022Coordinates: 4°30′40″S 139°01′19″E﻿ / ﻿4.511°S 139.022°E﻿ / -4.511; 139.022[1]
Type| Dip-slip
Areas affected| Indonesia
Max. intensity| VIII (Severe) [2]
Casualties| 120 dead
120 injured

The 1989 West Papua earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia – then Irian Jaya province – on August 1 with a moment magnitude of 6.0 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). Around 120 people were killed, mainly due to landslides and mudslides.

## Details and relief[edit]

The West Papua earthquake struck at 9:17 local time[3] and measured Ms 5.7[4] and 6.0 on the moment magnitude scale.[5] Its epicenter was located 299 km (186 mi) south of Jayapura;[6] the earthquake reached as far as Wamena.[4] There were multiple aftershocks.[6]

The earthquake killed 120 people and left 120 injured;[4] all of the dead were recovered from the villages of Holuon, Pasema, and Soba.[3] Many of these deaths and injuries derived from landslides that covered two villages and disrupted sections of the Baliem River, practically flooding three villages[7] and depositing tons of mud.[3] One of these landslides was 200 m (660 ft) tall;[7] there were eleven in total.[8] A large portion of the dead consisted of Dhani tribesmen.[6]

Local authorities distributed food, blankets, clothing, and money to survivors. Helicopters supplied food and other relief supplies,[6] but they were slowed by cracks in the local airstrips. More than 25 survivors were treated for severe injuries and another 100 for less grave maladies.[3] Between 200 and 300 people were evacuated in the aftermath of the tremor,[3][7] and 3,500 Hupla people were resettled at a lower altitude, thus moving them from their traditional settlements.[9]

## Geology[edit]

The focal mechanism for the earthquake demonstrated reverse faulting.[4] The region around the epicenter has a history of powerful earthquakes. Between two earthquakes in 1976 and 1981, 1000 people died.[6] There have been large earthquakes in the region as recently as 2009[10] and 2010.[11]

## See also[edit]

* List of earthquakes in 1989
* List of earthquakes in Indonesia

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Significant earthquake". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
2. ^ USGS (December 1, 2008), EXPO-CAT Earthquake Catalog, Version 2007-12, United States Geological Survey
3. ^ a b c d e "Indonesian quake kills 90". The Hour. August 2, 1989.
4. ^ a b c d "Significant Earthquakes of the World: 1989". United States Geological Survey. January 5, 2010. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
5. ^ "Today in Earthquake History: August 1". United States Geological Survey. October 2, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
6. ^ a b c d e "Indonesian quake death toll rises". Lodi News-Sentinel. August 3, 1989.
7. ^ a b c "Indonesia: Earthquake Aug 1989 UNDRO Information Report 1". ReliefWeb. August 4, 1989. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
8. ^ "Death Toll Rises to 97 in Indonesia Quake". Los Angeles Times. August 5, 1989.
9. ^ Tapol, pg. 22.
10. ^ "Indonesia earthquake kills at least 2, injures 35". CNN. January 4, 2009. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
11. ^ "Indonesian earthquake death toll climbs to 17". CNN. June 21, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2013.

### Sources[edit]

* Tapol Bulletin. Tapol, the British Campaign for the Release of Indonesian Political Prisoners (109–120). 1992.`{{cite journal}}`: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)

## External links[edit]

* The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.

* v
* t
* e

← Earthquakes in 1989 →

* Gissar (5.3, Jan 22) † ‡
* Malawi (6.3, Mar 10)
* West Papua (6.0, Aug 1) †
* Loma Prieta (6.9, Oct 17) †
* Chenoua (5.9, Oct 29) †
* Ungava (6.3, Dec 25)
* Newcastle (5.6, Dec 28)

† indicates earthquake resulting in at least 30 deaths
‡ indicates the deadliest earthquake of the year

* v
* t
* e

Earthquakes in Indonesia

Historical|

* 1629 Banda Sea
* 1674 Ambon
* 1699 Java
* 1797 Sumatra
* 1815 Bali
* 1833 Sumatra
* 1834 Bogor
* 1843 Nias
* 1852 Banda Sea
* 1861 Sumatra
* 1867 Java
* 1899 Ceram

20th century|

* 1907 Sumatra
* 1913 Sulawesi–Mindanao
* 1917 Bali
* 1926 Padang Panjang
* 1931 Southwest Sumatra
* 1933 Sumatra
* 1935 Sumatra
* 1938 Banda Sea
* 1943 Alahan Panjang
* 1943 Central Java
* 1965 Ceram Sea
* 1968 Sulawesi
* 1969 Sulawesi
* 1976 Papua
* 1976 Bali
* 1977 Sumba
* 1979 Yapen
* 1979 Bali
* 1981 Irian Jaya
* 1982 Flores
* 1984 Northern Sumatra
* 1989 West Papua
* 1991 Kalabahi
* 1992 Flores
* 1994 Liwa
* 1994 Java
* 1995 Kerinci
* 1996 Sulawesi
* 1996 Biak
* 1998 North Maluku
* 1999 Sunda Strait
* 2000 Banggai Islands
* 2000 Enggano

2000s|

* 2002 Sumatra
* February 2004 Nabire
* 2004 Alor
* November 2004 Nabire
* 2004 Indian Ocean
* 2005 Nias–Simeulue
* 2006 Yogyakarta
* 2006 Pangandaran
* March 2007 Sumatra
* September 2007 Sumatra
* 2008 Sulawesi
* 2008 Simeulue
* 2009 Papua
* 2009 Talaud Islands
* 2009 West Java
* September 2009 Sumatra

2010s|

* April 2010 Sumatra
* May 2010 Northern Sumatra
* 2010 Papua
* 2010 Mentawai
* 2011 Aceh Singkil Regency
* 2012 Indian Ocean
* 2013 Aceh
* 2016 Mentawai
* 2016 Aceh
* 2017 Java
* 2018 West Java
* July 2018 Lombok
* 5 August 2018 Lombok
* 19 August 2018 Lombok
* 2018 Sulawesi
* 2018 East Java
* 2019 Lombok
* 2019 North Maluku
* 2019 Sunda Strait
* 2019 Ambon

2020s|

* 2021 West Sulawesi
* 2021 East Java
* 2021 Bali
* 2021 Flores
* 2022 West Sumatra
* 2022 West Java
* 2023 Maluku

Related topics|

* Sunda Trench
* Great Sumatran fault
* Sunda megathrust
* Sumatra Trench
* Palu-Koro Fault
* Flores Back Arc Thrust Fault

*[Max.]: Maximum
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template