Victoria hit by 100+ aftershocks after 4.8 quake strikes Gippsland
Over 100 aftershocks have struck Victoria following a magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Korumburra on October 2.
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake rattled South Gippsland on October 2, felt across Victoria and as far as Tasmania. More than 100 aftershocks have followed, with seismologists warning another large quake could strike soon.
Seismology Research Centre chief scientist Adam Pascale said the activity is caused by stress building in the Earth's crust over many years. Unlike countries on tectonic plate boundaries, Australia sits within a plate, but the Australian plate still moves north-northeast and generates stress.
In 2009, a similar-sized quake in the same area was followed by a 4.7 tremor two weeks later and a 4.6 tremor two weeks after that. If you feel strong shaking, drop, cover and hold on under something solid like a table.
- 4.8 on October 2
- Earthquake magnitude
- Over 100
- Aftershocks recorded
- Near Korumburra, South Gippsland
- Location
- 7 centimetres per year north-northeast
- Plate movement rate
Why it mattersPeople in affected areas need to know how to protect themselves if another strong quake hits, and larger tremors remain possible in the short term.
AustraliaVictorians, especially in Gippsland, should prepare for possible further quakes and practise the drop-cover-hold drill in case of strong shaking.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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