Australia rocked by rare, magnitude 5.9 earthquake

A rare earthquake of magnitude 5.9 rattled the Melbourne area Wednesday morning in what was the largest tremor to hit southeast Australia in nearly five decades.

The earthquake’s epicenter was near Mansfield in the state of Victoria, but people as far away as Sydney reported feeling it. No serious injuries or deaths were immediately reported.

Emergency workers survey damage in Melbourne, Australia, where debris is scattered on a road after part of a wall fell from a building during an earthquake, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021. A strong earthquake caused damage in the city of Melbourne in an unusually powerful temblor for Australia, Geoscience Australia said. (JAMES ROSS/)

Videos shared on social media showed some buildings with significant damage. Streets were covered by dust and debris.

Victoria’s emergency services agency urged residents to avoid damaged buildings, roadways and bridges because of the risk of aftershocks, which can continue for hours or days. The agency also warned about possible landslides.

There was no tsunami threat.

The main quake, recorded at 9:15 a.m. local time, was the largest to rattle Australia’s southeast region since 1973, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Seven other tremors of magnitude 5 or higher have been recorded in the area since that year, with the most recent striking the town of Mirboo North, also in Victoria, in June 2012, USGS records show.

Also on Wednesday, another powerful earthquake was felt in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Nicaragua. The magnitude 6.5 quake was centered about 50 miles southeast of Jiquilillo at a depth of about 20 miles, USGS reported.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage.