Buzzy--Bee

http://www.theage.com.au/environment...705-1gzzf.html

An earthquake has struck in Gippsland, sending tremors throughout Melbourne and the state.

Reports of shaking have been tweeted by people from the city centre, Thomastown, Prahran, Blackburn and other inner suburbs.

The quake registered 4.4, according to Geoscience Australia, and was centred at Korumburra, 3AW has reported.

The Geoscience Australlia website appears to have crashed.

‘‘That was a big one,’’ tweeted one person from Rowville.

Residents in Sunbury, Cheltenham, North Melbourne and Scoresby all reported feeling shaking.

Korumburra, as the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges in South Gippsland, has a history of quakes and is known as the centre of Victoria’s seismic activity.

The shaking was felt in Port Melbourne, Fitzroy, the Basin, Black Rock, Basin, Inverloch, Bundoora, Berwick, Ferntree Gully, and the city.

Dr Ian Cartwright from Monash University’s school of geosciences told 3Aw it was unlikely there would be widespread damage caused by the earthquake.

‘‘That’s fairly large for an earthquake in south-east Australia, which is why we felt it over quite a wide area,’’ Dr Cartwright said.

‘‘It’s very unlikely there will be damage from an earthquake like that.

‘‘You may get the odd crack in the wall, but I’d doubt it would be anything worse than that.’’

koalakim

I just thought it was the strong wind shaking the house!

I wish this low pressure system would go away as it's giving me a right old headache today.

DownUnderPaddy

5 secs worth of a wee shudder. Geez, Rowville breeds em soft !

Pollyana

http://www.ga.gov.au/earthquakes/get...uakeId=3070945

and

http://www.ga.gov.au/earthquakes/get...uakeId=3070948

ProudVIC

It was big at North Melbourne, but only lasted for about a second. The building I was in swayed and fixtures rattled.

I've never actually felt an earth tremor before because others we have had were not strong enough to be felt by everyone. This one was very obvious.

lesleys

Don't want to worry you, but did you see today's paper?
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226088427521

DownUnderPaddy

hahahahaha.....man, the media are hilarious

completely different opinion in this article...http://maribyrnong-leader.whereilive...tion-unlikely/


2 guys, 2 completely different messages :-)

http://web.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/J...p13/ABOUT.HTML
Vs
http://www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu....erson7113.html


It's almost like the 'expert' opinions out there on the exchange rate predictions....hahahahahah !

Pollyana

Someone else's turn now is it - Queensland flapped in a similar way a couple of years back....
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/quee...0424-ahbe.html

lesleys

They seem to be saying the same thing - possible but not very probable at any given time. And this is geological time, not human time.

Don't forget that they didn't expect the earthquakes in Christchurch as there hadn't been one there as long as anyone could recall.

It's possible to get earthquakes anywhere. The earth is not fixed. The whole Australian plate moves northwards at an average of 10 cm per year at the moment. Tensions can build up anywhere, then get released. Just because most quakes happen close to plate boundaries doesn't mean they can't happen anywhere else. As the plate moves it may cross a local 'hot-spot' where the magma is nearer the surface (think of thermal springs) and a small instability can crack the surface and you get a volcano.

OK, this seismologist goes back into retirement.

DownUnderPaddy

Correct. 'We' have been around for about a microsecond in geological terms.
Our miniscule little lifespans make us want to believe everything revolves around us.

The Earth burps and farts and does it's thing in it's own timeframe, and whenever it feels like it.

Pollyana

I enjoy it when we get new staff at work and they get their first earthquake report - get all excited and start looking it up on maps and websites By the time they've been there a few weeks anything under a 6 doesn't get more than a batted eyelid