Australia Earthquake Strikes
Australia Earthquake Strikes

Australia Earthquake Strikes

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near Melbourne in southern Australia on Wednesday, according to Geoscience Australia. In a tweet on Wednesday morning, the Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES News) stated the earthquake’s epicenter was near Mansfield in the state of Victoria.

The tweet stated, “Please be patient as lines may be busy.” The Australian government first assigned a magnitude of 6 to the earthquake, however, it was later lowered to 5.9. The US Geological Survey assigned a magnitude of 5.9 to the quake.

Australia Earthquake Strikes
Australia Earthquake Strikes

In the central business center of Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, videos on social media showed at least one structure suffering minor damage and power lines being disturbed, with some people observed on the streets following the quake.

Residents in Melbourne expressed their astonishment and surprise when residences across the city began to shake, in a city that had not experienced an earthquake of this magnitude in decades. So far, there have been no reports of injuries.

The quake was strong enough to be felt 800 kilometers (500 miles) distant in Adelaide, South Australia, and more than 900 kilometers (600 miles) away in Sydney, New South Wales. In a tweet, VICSES News stated, “There is no tsunami threat.”

Australia Earthquake Strikes
Australia Earthquake Strikes

An aftershock reaching roughly 4.0 magnitude occurred less than half an hour after the original shock, according to Geoscience Australia. Following an earthquake on September 22 in Melbourne, Australia, damaged buildings can be observed along Chapel Street.

Unlike its neighbor, New Zealand, Australia is located in the heart of a tectonic plate and therefore sees very little significant earthquake activity. According to Geoscience Australia, the country’s worst earthquake occurred in 1988 in the Northern Territory, measuring only 6.6 magnitudes.

The earthquake in Melbourne came after a day of violent protests in the city over months-long lockdowns imposed to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 Delta variant.

Australia Earthquake Strikes
Australia Earthquake Strikes

In some of the city’s most violent protests in years, demonstrators blocked key roads and burned flares amid fights with police. Victoria has recorded a number of 30,224 confirmed Covid cases and over 830 deaths to date.

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By JC

Consultation on Climate Change & Risk Management