Earthquakes DO happen in Australia

Recently many people have asked me if earthquakes happen in Australia, and my answer has been "Very rarely, and usually imperceptible* to humans." Sorry, maybe that is not true ....

Today a M5.2 hit north Queensland. But it was a rare event - here is what one expert said:

Geoscience Australia seismologist David Jepsen says today's earthquake was a rare event and the state's biggest in more than 70 years.

"There have been quite a few in the early 1900s and the last big one was a 5.5 in 1935 west of Fraser Island. And then there was one near Charters Towers in 1913, about 5.7. Queensland doesn't get too many of this magnitude type event," he said.

You can read the whole story on the ABC website:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/16/3193477.htm?section=justin

Unfortunately, just a few minutes after the Queensland quake, a M5.3 hit Christchurch in NZ again, but there have been no reports of damage.

The Earth really does seem angry lately, doesn't it?


* imperceptible = cannot perceive = do not feel/do not notice