World · Sri Lanka Bureau
Moderate earthquake jolts Victoria region near Melbourne
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck southeastern Victoria early Thursday, with its epicentre located near the township of Leongatha. The tremor, which occurred at a depth of approximately 10 kilometres, was felt across a broad swath of the Australian state.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
The earthquake struck at around 2:01 a.m. local time, with Geoscience Australia confirming the magnitude and location details. The epicentre was positioned approximately 135 kilometres southeast of Melbourne, near Leongatha in the Gippsland region.
The relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometres contributed to the tremor being widely felt throughout southeastern Victoria and surrounding areas. Residents across the region reported feeling the shake, though early assessments indicated no immediate reports of significant damage or casualties.
Moderate-magnitude earthquakes, while less common in Australia than in more tectonically active regions, do occur periodically across the continent. Seismic activity in Victoria is typically associated with deeper crustal movements rather than major fault systems.
Authorities were monitoring the situation, with Geoscience Australia providing real-time data to emergency services. The agency urged residents to report their experiences through its earthquake reporting system to help refine understanding of ground motion in the region.