Early Morning Earthquake Rattles Victoria

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.3 struck Victoria in the early hours of Friday, causing shaking and rattling in Melbourne and various parts of the state. The epicentre of the quake was reported to be near the town of Leongatha in South Gippsland, approximately 135 kilometres southeast of Melbourne.

Residents took to social media to report being awakened by the tremor around 12:45 am. Although there were initial concerns of a possible tsunami, the Bureau of Meteorology later confirmed no such threat existed for the state.

Adam Pascale, a seismologist from the Seismology Research Centre, noted that many people across Melbourne would have felt the quake. He further mentioned the possibility of aftershocks continuing, although no reports of damage had been received at the time of his statement.

Pascale explained that while the earthquake technically occurred closer to the town of Meeniyan, the closest sizable town was Leongatha. The tremor was recorded on a seismograph in Korumburra.

In recent years, Victoria has experienced a higher number of earthquakes compared to previous decades, although this is still considered within the normal range of activity for the region. Smaller quakes are regularly recorded near the Great Dividing Range, sometimes undetectable in Melbourne. Just a few days ago, a magnitude 3.1 tremor occurred close to the town of Dumbalk in Gippsland.

Since the major earthquake in 2021, which caused damage in Melbourne during the pandemic, several other significant tremors have been felt throughout Victoria. These include an earthquake near Cape Otway in October 2023, one in the alpine region in June 2023, and the strongest tremor in 120 years that shook Melbourne in May 2023.

The recent event serves as a reminder of the ongoing seismic activity in the region, with experts keeping a close eye on any potential developments.