Melbourne, 03 October (H.S.): A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Australia’s state of Victoria early Saturday, with tremors felt across Melbourne and several other parts of the state. According to Geoscience Australia, the epicentre was near Leongatha, approximately 130 kilometres southeast of Melbourne.

According to the British daily The Guardian, the earthquake occurred at around 2:01 a.m. local time, with its epicentre at a depth of approximately 10 kilometres. Geoscience Australia received reports from thousands of people who felt the earthquake. Tremors were reported in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs as well as in Preston, Heidelberg Heights, Venus Bay and surrounding areas.

People took to social media to report that the earthquake had woken them from their sleep and caused noticeable shaking inside their homes. Several residents also reported furniture and other household items moving during the tremor.

Victoria’s State Emergency Service advised residents to drop to the ground, take cover under sturdy furniture and protect their head and neck during an earthquake. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said there was no tsunami threat from the earthquake. An aftershock measuring 3.1 was recorded approximately 55 minutes after the main earthquake. Experts said further aftershocks could occur in the region over the coming days or weeks.

Mark Quigley, an Associate Professor of Earthquake Science at the University of Melbourne, said South Gippsland is one of Australia’s more seismically active regions. According to Quigley, aftershocks following a magnitude 4.8 earthquake are not unusual. He explained that the earthquake was caused by a sudden movement within a section of rock at a depth of approximately 10 kilometres. He also said that, despite perceptions of increased seismic activity, there has been no clear increase in the frequency of earthquakes in the region in recent years.

The South Gippsland region is considered seismically active. Victoria experienced a magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Mansfield in 2021, while a magnitude 5.0 earthquake was recorded in the Great Ocean Road region in 2023. Saturday’s magnitude 4.8 earthquake has been described as the largest earthquake recorded in Victoria since 2023.

Quigley said it would be useful for residents to identify objects inside their homes that could fall and cause injury during a stronger earthquake. He added that geological records show that significantly more powerful earthquakes have occurred in Gippsland in the past.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar