Earthquake near Melbourne

Early this morning (October 03), a strong earthquake occurred in an area near Melbourne, and its tremors were strongly felt throughout the city and in many regions of Victoria. As confirmed by Geoscience Australia, the earthquake occurred around 2:01 AM local time on Saturday, October 03, 2026.

The epicentre of the earthquake was the Arawata area, located between the towns of Leongatha and Korumburra in South Gippsland, approximately 130 to 135 kilometres southeast of Melbourne. The tremor was reported at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometres from the Earth's surface, which caused it to spread rapidly over a large area. Although some international reports indicated the earthquake had a magnitude of 4.7 on the Richter scale, according to official data from Geoscience Australia, its magnitude was recorded as 4.8. Sentinel-Times+ 1

Following this event, by around 2:30 AM, over 10,000 people had reported feeling the tremor to authorities, and this number later exceeded 15,000. Reports of the tremor were received not only from Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD) and its surrounding suburbs but also from distant areas such as Geelong, Traralgon, Mansfield, Ballarat, and Bendigo. Residents reported that due to the tremor, which lasted from a few seconds to about 10 seconds, windows in houses rattled and furniture was displaced. People in areas closer to the earthquake's epicentre experienced the tremor more intensely. Volcano Discovery

Following the tremor, VicEmergency issued a statement informing the public that there was no immediate danger and therefore no special action was required. As of now, no official reports of personal injuries or serious damage to major buildings have been received. However, local media reported minor incidents such as items falling to the ground, and a small aftershock was confirmed to have occurred around 2:57 AM.

Although massive earthquakes are not common in Australia due to its location in the middle of a tectonic plate, the impact of such shallow intraplate events can be felt over a wide area. Following the 5.9 magnitude earthquake that occurred 120 kilometres east of Melbourne on September 22, 2021, there has been some increase in seismic activity in Victoria. Subsequently, a 3.8 magnitude earthquake was reported in the Sunbury area in May 2023, and a 4.6 magnitude tremor near Mount Baw Baw in June 2023. Updated information regarding this latest event is available from Geoscience Australia and VicEmergency, and authorities urge the public to contact the Victoria State Emergency Service (SES) if there is any property damage or safety concern.