Earthquakes are a rare but present risk for Queensland body corporates. Planning ahead can help residents respond safely, reduce confusion and manage damage if an earthquake affects their building.
This guide covers practical steps to prepare your body corporate, stay safe during shaking, check damage afterwards and manage insurance matters.
How should a Queensland body corporate prepare for an earthquake?
Queensland Government guidance recommends understanding your local risk, preparing a household emergency plan and packing an emergency kit. These steps can also be adapted for apartment buildings and other body corporate communities.
A body corporate can support preparedness by:
- asking the local council whether earthquakes have occurred in the area and what damage resulted
- identifying safe areas inside each building
- making sure residents know where to meet if they are separated
- checking how electricity, gas and water services can be turned off
- keeping emergency and evacuation information accessible
- encouraging residents to prepare household emergency kits
- considering how to communicate with residents if power, phones or lifts are unavailable.
The body corporate should also consider residents who may need extra assistance, including people with mobility, hearing or vision requirements. Keep the plan practical and make sure committee members, caretakers and residents know where to find it.
Residents should prepare household supplies, including drinking water, food, medication, a torch, batteries and other essential items. A household plan should include who to contact, where to meet and what to do if usual services are interrupted.
Residents can also ask their local council about local earthquake history and ways to make their home safer. This is practical preparation and is not a legal requirement.
What earthquake risks should apartment residents understand?
An earthquake is shaking of the Earth’s crust. It can be caused by underground volcanic forces, rock breaking beneath the Earth’s surface or sudden movement along an existing fault line. Earthquakes vary greatly in severity and strike without warning.
Most earthquake deaths are caused by falling objects. Other effects can include damage to electricity and telephone lines, ruptured gas, sewer and water mains, landslides, subsidence and tsunamis.
For apartment residents, potential hazards may include:
- falling shelves, fittings, glass and other unsecured objects
- damaged electrical systems or utility lines
- gas or fuel leaks
- damaged water, sewerage or electrical mains
- blocked roads, damaged bridges or falling debris
- damage to the building or other common property.
The effects depend on the severity of the earthquake and the location of the building. Serious injury, electrocution, fires, utility failures and toxic leaks are possible hazards. Residents should wait for advice before assuming that a building or service is safe after the shaking has stopped.
The Queensland Government advises that buildings in Australia have been required to be built to resist earthquakes since 1994. Residents should not enter a damaged building or take risks when checking a property.
What should residents do during an earthquake?
If you are indoors, stay inside while the shaking continues and move away from windows, chimneys, outer walls, overhead fittings and objects that could fall. In a high-rise building, shelter under a desk near a pillar or internal wall, and do not use the lift.
During shaking:
- drop to the ground
- take cover under a sturdy table, desk or bench
- hold on until the shaking stops.
If you are in bed, stay there, hold on and protect your head with a pillow. In a crowded building, do not rush for the doors. Move clear of shelves and overhead fittings instead.
If you are outdoors, move well clear of buildings, walls, bridges, powerlines, trees and other overhead structures. If you are in a vehicle, stop in an open area and remain there until the shaking stops. Listen to the car radio for warnings before moving.
Do not use lifts during or immediately after the shaking. Avoid windows, glass and exterior walls, and do not move towards a damaged area to investigate. Follow emergency advice without putting yourself at further risk.
What should a body corporate do after an earthquake?
Once the shaking stops, focus first on people and immediate safety. Check for injuries and provide first aid if it is safe to do so. Do not move a seriously injured person unless they are in immediate danger.
Residents should:
- check for visible building damage from a safe location
- watch for broken water, sewerage or electrical mains
- turn off electricity, gas and water only if it is safe and they know how
- avoid lighting matches until gas or fuel leaks have been checked
- evacuate a badly damaged building
- expect aftershocks
- avoid entering damaged buildings or going sightseeing
- avoid driving unless necessary, so roads remain available for emergency services
- listen to local radio and follow warnings about damage and service disruptions.
Do not enter a damaged building to collect belongings or inspect common property. The committee or body corporate manager can help coordinate information. Building safety assessments should be handled by appropriately qualified professionals and emergency services where necessary.
The body corporate should account for residents, communicate known hazards and arrange access controls if parts of the property are unsafe. It should also record service outages, damage reports and actions taken. Do not delay emergency assistance while trying to create complete records.
How should earthquake damage and insurance claims be managed?
The Queensland body corporate insurance rules require a body corporate to insure common property, body corporate assets, public risk and, in most cases, each building containing a lot. For a building format plan, the building must generally be insured for its full replacement value.
Building insurance must cover damage to the building and the costs required to reinstate or replace insured buildings, including professional fees and debris removal. The definition of damage includes earthquake damage.
A body corporate must also have buildings valued for their full replacement cost, with an independent valuation at least every 5 years where it has to insure one or more buildings.
The body corporate should:
- contact the insurer as soon as it is safe
- follow the policy’s claim notification and repair instructions
- keep residents away from unsafe areas
- arrange emergency works only where necessary to protect people or prevent further damage
- retain invoices, reports and correspondence
- keep owners informed about significant damage and claim progress.
Before cleaning up, document damage with photographs, videos and written records where this can be done safely. Do not disturb dangerous areas or dispose of damaged items until the insurer or its representative has provided instructions.
Owners should check whether their own contents, fixtures or other relevant insurance covers earthquake damage. Cover depends on the actual policy, so review the wording and contact the insurer if you are unsure. You can also read our body corporate insurance factsheet for further information.
At each annual general meeting, the body corporate must give owners information about its insurance policies and completed valuations, including the valuation date and full replacement value of the buildings.
Who should you call after an earthquake in Queensland?
Call Triple Zero (000) for police, fire or ambulance services when someone is seriously injured, urgent medical help is needed, or life or property is threatened.
For flood or storm damage assistance, contact the State Emergency Service on 13 25 00.
After an earthquake, contact your insurer and body corporate manager once immediate safety issues are under control. Keep emergency calls for urgent situations. Use official warnings for information about damage, roads and service disruptions.
Preparation, calm action and careful damage management can help Queensland body corporates respond more safely to an earthquake. If your body corporate needs help reviewing insurance information or coordinating next steps, contact our team at reception@stratacare.com.au.
