5.8 earthquake strikes Australia, shaking felt in Melbourne

Phil Helsel
Updated ·1 min read

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck close to Australia's southern coast Wednesday morning, causing shaking in Melbourne and prompting a warning of aftershocks and other hazards., officials said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries following the earthquake shortly after 9 a.m. local time (7 p.m. ET).

But emergency officials in Victoria issued a warning of aftershocks and told people to stay away from damaged buildings and to avoid driving.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake had a depth of about 10 km, or 6.2 miles. There was no threat of a tsunami, officials said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake had a depth of about 10 km, or 6.2 miles.

The epicenter was south of Mount Buller, which is around 90 miles northeast of Melbourne.

Photos showed damage to a building in Melbourne with bricks from a facade littering a street.

A woman in the Melbourne suburb of Carrum Downs told Seven News that she ran out of her house.

"The walls were moving,” she told the news organization.