An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 hit the southeast of Australia. Melbourne, the capital of Victoria and one of the largest cities in the country, suffered from an extremely rare natural disaster for this country.
The earthquake began at 09:15 local time (02:15 Moscow time), its epicenter was in the area of the city of Mansfield. Soon there were two repeated shocks of magnitude 4.0 and 3.1. The quake was also felt in the neighboring states of South Australia and New South Wales.
According to the Australian authorities, buildings in Melbourne were damaged as a result of the earthquake. “We have not received any reports of serious injuries, which is very good,” said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is now in the United States.
Although this earthquake was one of the most powerful in recent years, it did not cause significant damage. Photos from Melbourne show piles of bricks and fragments of buildings on the streets after tremors.
After the earthquake, residents of several high-rise apartment buildings in Melbourne were briefly evacuated. Due to damage to tram tracks, public transport was disrupted.
Morrison noted that earthquakes are very rare in Australia but can be “very worrying.”
Victoria Rescue Services warned of the possibility of further aftershocks. “If you are in Victoria, you are in danger. Be prepared for aftershocks, avoid damaged buildings and other dangerous objects. Refrain from driving, except in an emergency,” the authorities warned.
Earthquake during heart surgery
Local surgeon Samir Thakur told the BBC that at the time of the earthquake he was performing heart bypass surgery at a hospital near Melbourne.
“Our operation is in full swing – and we begin to feel how the operating table is shaking,” the doctor said on our radio broadcast. “Fortunately, we were at a stage where everything could be put on hold,” the surgeon explained. He waited for the tremors to end and successfully completed the operation.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation tweeted a snippet of its morning program during which the earthquake struck. “Is it an earthquake or something with the building?” Asks fellow presenter Michael Rowland. “It’s time to go… it was strong.”
In Australia, powerful earthquakes are rare because the continent is located on the same tectonic plate.
According to Australian scientists, the tremors were felt quite strongly, since the earthquake was relatively shallow: it happened at a depth of 10 kilometers. Initially, its magnitude was estimated at 6.0, but then it was reduced to 5.8.
The Australian Geophysical Agency reports that the country experiences potentially devastating earthquakes with a magnitude higher than 6.0 every 10 years.
Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city, is home to about 5 million people. Now there is a lockdown introduced due to the new wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
About 5 million people live in Melbourne
