Rare quake sparks panic in Australia

MELBOURNE: A rare quake rattled south-eastern Australia yesterday, shaking buildings, knocking down walls and sending panicked Melbourne residents running into the streets.

The 5.9 magnitude tremor hit east of the country’s second-largest city and was one of the largest to hit the country in decades.

With Melbourne beginning its eighth week of pandemic lockdown and braced for a third straight day of violent anti-vaccine protests, most residents were at home when the quake struck.

Zume Phim, 33, owner of Melbourne’s Oppen cafe, said he rushed on to the street as the tremor hit.

“The whole building was shaking. All the windows, the glass, was shaking – like a wave of shaking,” he told AFP.

“I have never experienced that before. It was a little bit scary.”

Geoscience Australia reported the initial quake was followed by a series of six smaller ones. Emergency services said they had received calls for help as far away as Dubbo, about 700km from the quake epicentre.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there were no initial reports of injuries.