Introduction:
In the early hours of today, Melbourne was struck by the most severe earthquake in over two decades. A large number of residents were abruptly woken, with houses shaking violently, and the tremor was felt as far as 250 kilometers away...

#01:
Melbourne Hit by Earthquake, Residents Woken in Their Sleep

Australia has recently experienced frequent seismic activities. After a 3.6-magnitude earthquake struck Kangaroo Island in South Australia yesterday, Victoria was shaken again in the early hours today. Numerous residents were startled by a "explosion-like sound" and felt their houses shaking violently.

According to the Australian Earth Sciences Bureau, at 4:39 AM local time on Thursday, a 3.2-magnitude earthquake occurred in the southeastern direction of Melbourne, near the Mornington Peninsula. The epicenter was located 10 kilometers underground at a cricket field on Main Creek Road in the Main Ridge area.

Although the earthquake did not result in any casualties, it caused strong tremors over a wide area. By 9 AM, 580 people had reported feeling the earthquake, with 159 people mentioning that they felt noticeable shaking in the epicenter and within the first ten minutes of the tremor.

Surprisingly, the tremor was felt much further than expected. Residents 250 kilometers northwest in St Arnaud and 140 kilometers east in Traralgon also reported feeling the shaking. In addition, residents in the northern, eastern, and southern suburbs of Melbourne also experienced varying levels of shaking. Even as far as New South Wales' inland Cobar and Tasmania’s Hobart had seismic activity recorded at their monitoring stations.

Residents around the peninsula reported moderate to strong shaking, though most reports described it as mild to weak.

Local residents shared their experiences on social media, vividly describing the tense moments during the earthquake. One resident in Rye recalled:
"It sounded like thunder passing through the house, the windows were rattling, and the house was shaking."

Another resident thought a giant possum had entered the house, as loud rumbling sounds echoed through the home.

One more described being woken up by a huge explosion-like sound, and another from Blairgowrie elaborated:
"In Blairgowrie, we felt and heard it, the sound was quite loud, and the bed and nightstand shook violently for several seconds."

#02:
Most Severe Earthquake in Over 20 Years, Experts Explain Fault Zone Activity

Although the earthquake caused noticeable shaking, the Victoria Ambulance Service confirmed that no emergency calls related to the earthquake were received.

Dr. Jonathan Griffin, Senior Seismologist at the Australian Earth Sciences Bureau, explained that such shallow minor earthquakes often accompany sounds similar to thunder or the passing of trucks, as seismic waves convert into sound waves when they reach the Earth's surface.

He added:
"While this magnitude of earthquake is not particularly large, it is still enough to be felt and could easily wake people up."

Adam Pascale, Chief Scientist at the Earthquake Research Center, noted that a 3-magnitude earthquake generally does not cause damage but can be felt over a large area, with anything above a 4-magnitude potentially causing structural damage.

Pascale mentioned that the Mornington Peninsula lies along a fault zone, making the area more seismically active than surrounding regions:
"Seismic activity in this area is not unheard of, though it is certainly less frequent than in Gippsland or the Great Dividing Range. The most severe earthquake in recent memory was in 1971 near Flinders... but this is the strongest one since the late 1990s."

The earthquake has reignited public concern over seismic activity in Victoria. Since the 5.9-magnitude earthquake in September 2021—which caused damage to buildings in Melbourne and was felt across southeastern Australia—the state has seen a notable increase in earthquake activity. Subsequent aftershocks included a 3.8-magnitude earthquake near Sunbury in May 2023 (the largest recorded in Melbourne in 120 years), and a 4.6-magnitude earthquake near Mount Baw Baw in June 2023, reported by over 10,000 residents.

Experts have previously stated that these aftershocks are part of normal tectonic activity following the major 2021 earthquake.

Final Thoughts:

While this earthquake caused no significant damage, it serves as a reminder of the active geological nature of Australia. Residents are encouraged to raise their earthquake awareness and be prepared for potential future events.