5.9 magnitude earthquake jolts Darwin with strong shaking
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Darwin on Friday evening, causing strong but brief shaking with no reported damage.
The tremor hit at 9:28pm Friday in the Banda Sea, east of Dili in Timor-Leste, at a depth of 73 kilometres. Residents across Darwin and northern suburbs reported strong but brief shaking, with one resident saying it was probably the most aggressive quake they'd felt in years.
Residents in Nightcliff reported dozens of people running outside their apartments as the earthquake struck. The earthquake was initially recorded as 6.1 magnitude before being revised to 5.9.
There have been no reports of significant damage.
- 5.9 (revised from 6.1)
- Magnitude
- Banda Sea, east of Dili in Timor-Leste
- Location
- 9:28pm Friday
- Time
- 73 kilometres
- Depth
Why it mattersStrong earthquakes near population centres carry risk of panic and damage; residents want immediate confirmation of safety.
AustraliaA rare strong earthquake near a major Australian city; Darwin residents felt significant shaking but early assessments show no major structural damage.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 13 d ago
