Magnitude-4.8 Earthquake Strikes Near Leongatha, South-East of Melbourne

A 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck near the Victorian town of Leongatha in the early hours of the morning, approximately 135km south-east of Melbourne. According to Geoscience Australia, the quake hit at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres just after 2am, with the epicentre located near the South Gippsland town.

The federal agency's website reported over 16,000 felt reports in the area by 3am, but there have been no reports of injuries or damage. Hadi Ghasemi, a geophysicist with Geoscience Australia, described the event as a "shallow, moderate earthquake."

"The shaking was widely felt, close to the epicentre. It was a strong shake but I don't expect any major damage," he said.

"The epicentre was less than 20 kilometres north-east of Leongatha."

Mr Ghasemi noted that while aftershocks are possible, their likelihood will decrease as the day goes on.

"Aftershocks are often a possibility and we have registered a magnitude-3.1 aftershock for this recent event," he said.

"Generally speaking, aftershocks, especially the larger ones, tend to occur closer to the main event itself. The frequency of the aftershocks decreases from the time that the main event occurs."

Geoscience Australia confirmed that a 3.1-magnitude aftershock struck near Leongatha just before 3am. This quake comes a week after a 3.9 magnitude earthquake in Victoria's High Country.

Michael from Iona in West Gippsland reported that the quake rattled his house and startled his dog.

"It was an enormous shake, the house was shaking, bed was shaking. The dog started barking — it was full on," he said.

"There was an aftershock as well, about a minute later."

"The amazing thing is, there's an earthquake warning system and I got a warning straight away on my phone."

The strongest earthquake this decade occurred in September 2021, which registered at 5.9 on the Richter scale, with an epicentre at Woods Point, near Mansfield. Minor damage was recorded in the 2021 quake across central Victoria, including Melbourne.

Victoria State Emergency Service put out a statement saying there was no immediate threat to the community and no action was required.

"If you felt the earthquake, stay calm, check for hazards, and be prepared for further possible aftershocks," the statement said.

For earthquake-related emergency assistance from the SES, residents can phone 132 500.