Victoria earthquake: Towns rattled by 4.8 magnitude tremor
Homes swayed and residents were awoken when their beds started shaking.
A late-night 4.8 magnitude earthquake has shaken Victoria, awaking residents when their houses began swaying.
Geoscience Australia reported the tremor struck at 2am near Leongatha, about 135km southeast of Melbourne, as a 4.8 magnitude at a depth of around 10km.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Victoria shaken by 4.8 magnitude earthquake near Leongatha
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.More than 14,000 people have reported feeling the tremor, Geoscience Australia said, who later reported a 3.1 magnitude aftershock about an hour later.
Geoscience Australia Seismologist Hadi Ghasemi said locals reporting the earthquake helps officials understand where would be most impacted if a larger tremor were to occur.
“As soon as people feel the ground shaking, the advice would be to drop, cover and hold until the ground shaking passes,” he said.
“And when it is safe then they can basically try to visit the website and report how they felt during the shake.”
Korumburra local Jason Kelly told Sunrise that he was getting ready for work when he “heard a massive bang”.
“I thought there was an explosion but then I realised it was probably an earthquake,” Kelly said.
“The house did shake, but it didn’t last real long, it was probably only two seconds then it was done and dusted.”
Kelly added that it was “nowhere near as bad” as other earthquakes which have struck the region in the past.
Residents also took to social media to share their shock of the late-night tremor with some saying they felt their houses sway and windows rattle.
“I thought someone was trying to get in my front door,” one person wrote on Facebook.
“I felt my bed swaying,” another person wrote.
“I’ve never been more scared in my life,” another resident added.
A Leongatha resident said they felt it was a “huge explosion nearby”, adding “the house shook” and there was a “booming noise”.
The largest earthquake ever recorded in Australia is generally considered the 1941 Meeberrie earthquake in Western Australia, which reached magnitude 6.9.
More on this breaking story on Weekend Sunrise live from 7am. If you have any vision from the quake please send it to sunrise@seven.com.au.
Originally published on 7NEWS
