Weatherboy

Weatherboy Weather News, Maps, RADAR, Satellite, and Forecasts.

Unusual Earthquake in Australia Puzzles Experts

by -

The sun rises over the skyline in Melbourne, Australia. Image: Weatherboy
The sun rises over the skyline in Melbourne, Australia. Image: Weatherboy




An unusually strong earthquake struck in an unusual portion of Australia earlier today (9:15 am September 21, local time), puzzling experts with its intensity and location. At magnitude 6.0, the earthquake outside of Melbourne is the largest onshore earthquake in Victoria in recorded history. There have been numerous aftershocks, including a a 4.7 that occurred about 15 minutes after the main shock. Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, with a population of roughly 5 million people.

The Australian equivalent to the US-based USGS, Geoscience Australia, said today’s earthquake was also one of the country’s biggest earthquakes on record. The epicenter was near the rural town of Mansfield, roughly 124 miles northeast of Melbourne. The earthquake was felt as far away as the cities of Adelaide,  500 miles  to the west in the state of South Australia, and Sydney,  600 miles to the north in New South Wales state.

“We have had no reports of serious injuries, or worse, and that is very good news and we hope that good news will continue,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters. “It can be a very disturbing event, an earthquake of this nature. They are very rare events in Australia and as a result, I am sure people would have been quite distressed and disturbed.”

The orange/yellow circled area shows where today's unusual earthquake occured while the other red circles indicate other past quakes throughout Australia's modern times. Image: Geoscience Australia
The orange/yellow circled area shows where today’s unusual earthquake occurred while the other red circles indicate other past quakes throughout Australia’s modern times. Image: Geoscience Australia

According to Geoscience Australia, earthquakes are very unusual in eastern Australia where most of the continent’s population is. Eastern Australia is located in the middle of  the Indo-Australian Tectonic Plate.



Today’s earthquake measured higher than the country’s deadliest one, which was recorded as a 5.6 in Newcastle in 1989, which resulted in 13 deaths.

While today’s earthquake didn’t result in injuries, it did result in considerable damage with lots of masonry cracked and knocked over in Melbourne, making many buildings and sidewalks and roadways around those buildings unsafe. Victoria’s State Emergency Service warned residents to be alert for possible aftershocks. “If you are located in Victoria, you are in danger. Expect aftershocks, stay away from damaged buildings and other hazards. Avoid driving, except for emergencies,” the authority said.

Scientists are working to understand why today’s earthquake was as strong as it was and why it struck where it did.