Nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital prayed as monster earthquake was felt in Darwin

A GROUP of nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital were on their knees praying as the earthquake was felt. Meanwhile cracks have appeared in people’s houses

A GROUP of nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital were on their knees praying as the earthquake was felt in the Territory capital.

The NT News has been told by hospital workers that “a whole heap” of nurses prayed as concern swept the high rise building.

Thanks earthquake.
Cracked wall on the room and stairwell. #earthquake #darwin. @9NewsDarwin @abcnews @TheNTNews pic.twitter.com/ILbKYMczGo

— most wanted (@mstwtd) June 24, 2019

Health researcher Isabella Marovich, who was at Royal Darwin Hospital at the time of the tremor, told the NT News nurses and patients had been evacuated from the hospital.

“I could see the awnings on the hospital building shaking,” she said.

Robyn Williams was home at Parap when she felt the quake for almost two minutes.

“The whole house was shaking and the TV was moving a hell of a lot,” she said.

“I’ve never felt anything like it - it was quite unnerving.”

One Palmerston resident, Kavinda Weerachandra was working from home on his computer when the tremor was felt.

“I didn’t know what was happening,” he said.

“The house was making crazy noises ... all I could think was was it going to fall on me?

“I was thinking ‘should I be hiding under the table?’.”

This is one of a regular series of earthquakes that occur in the lower plate, at the eastern limit of a propagating slab tear. Basically no seismicity at this depth below Timor, but major concentration east of Timor. As usual it affects Darwin worse than Dili. https://t.co/QRt6b1rXE3

— Brendan Duffy (@structuregeo) June 24, 2019

When the tremors stopped, Mr Weerachandra walked around his elevated home and discovered cracks in the walls.

“I can actually fit my fingernail through it,” he said.

“It’s about 2m long and it’s cracked from the window frame and on the stairwell the paint is all cracked too.”

Hotels in the CBD were also evacuated.

The tremor was heard as far as Southport where resident Brian Piddick said he felt the tremors for a number of minutes.

“I’m on one of those office chairs that swivels up and down, and I thought geez I’m not moving, it’s the ground,” he said.

“What’s going on with the world.”

In the Territory’s capital, hundreds rushed downstairs to evacuate as tremors continued for more than a few minutes on going for more than a few minutes were felt across Darwin.

While some looked shocked at what they had experienced, several were on their phones checking in with their family and friends.

Darwin Festival artistic director Felix Preval, whose office is located in Harbour View Plaza, was shocked at the sheer magnitude of the tremors.

Monster earthquake rattles Darwin @TheNTNews https://t.co/jLTp3cqHTu

— Will Zwar (@zwar_w) June 24, 2019

“I was on the phone with someone when I felt a little something. Then suddenly everything was kind of shaking,” Mr Preval said.

“This is the biggest one for a long shot, I believe.”

Everyone from Harbour View Plaza evacuated after the wardens of each floor felt a big jolt and what sounded like scraping of the building.

Once the tremors stopped they were asked to wait outside the building for about 20 minutes before they went back to their offices.

People at Harbour View Hotel were evacuated during the earthquake. Picture: SUPPLIED

Several other buildings in the CBD were also evacuated.

Brad Torgan, who works with Ward Keller, was in his office when the building started shaking.

“Our office is on the seventh floor and after a few small tremors there was this really big one and the building started shaking. I immediately ducked under my table,” Mr Togan said.

He said being so high up made the impact much bigger, and they were asked to evacuate to the park opposite.

Take a bow, @TheNTNews.

Rosebery resident Michael O’Brien said the earthquake came at an awkward time for him

“I’m a little bit shocked. I was sitting on the loo and the loo started to vibrate and I thought ‘what the hell’s going on here’,” he said. #Straya pic.twitter.com/wjbYfxrU6e

— Brianna Travers (@briannatravers) June 24, 2019

The tremors were a result of the 7.3 magnitude earthquake which hit Banda Sea, off the coast of Indonesia close to noon.

NT Government worker Alfredo Borges said it had given him a shock.

“My desk and my chair was moving for a long period of time,” he said.

“I’m on level four over the past year we’ve had minor tremors, not like this one. The opposite building to us (swayed) and then people started evacuating.”

He said he didn’t hesitate to leave when he felt the tremor.

Some shops at Casuarina Square Shopping Centre closing during the earthquake. Picture: SUPPLIED

“I evacuated because it brought back memories of Newcastle Earthquake,” Mr Borges said.

“You go through cyclones and all that and it’s a totally different ball game because it’s uncontrollable and it happens on short quick notice, no one picks it, it’s just a different feel.

While some weren’t too concerned, Mr Borges was taking precautions and trying to calm himself down.

“We went out for 20 minutes, then I went up to shut my computer and came out for lunch, just to get it off my mind. It is, it’s pretty stressful,” he said.

“It’s always in the back (of your mind), the aftershock.”

AJ Challana owns an iPhone accessory shop and said while nothing fell of the racks he still took precautions.

“It was very fast and very heavy, I read the news and they said it was magnitude 7.2,” he said.

“Nothing fell off but all of my cases were moving, a customer was here so I told her to go outside. Me and my customer left the store for approximately 15 minutes, half an hour.”