Tremors shake Melbourne's south-east
The Age
Wednesday September 23, 2009
RESIDENTS across Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs have reported shaking houses and loud "bangs" after two small earthquakes hit the area late yesterday.A spokeswoman from Geoscience Australia said the tremors hit the Mornington Peninsula within seconds of each other at about 6.20pm.The first, about 20 kilometres south-east of Frankston, registered 2.6 on the Richter scale.The second €” 13 seconds later €” occurred further south of Frankston and was recorded at 3.0.Melbourne seismologist Gary Gibson recorded slightly higher figures €” 2.7 and 3.2 €” for the two earthquakes. He said the incidents occurred about eight kilometres under the surface, which allowed residents in the area to hear sound from the earthquakes.Residents reported rumbling and loud banging noises or explosions.Mr Gibson said Victoria had earthquakes of similar size about once a month, but most occurred in the mountains, and were not reported. He said they could sound like a distant explosion, or a "large quarry blast".Mr Gibson said earthquakes were still being recorded at Korumburra €” about 96 kilometres south-east of Melbourne €” which in March was the epicentre of Victoria's largest quake for eight years, measuring 4.7 compared with 4.8 in 2001. PETER GREGORY
© 2009 The Age