TWO earthquakes shook parts of central Victoria yesterday.
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Windows rattled and floors rocked across the region when the 2.8-magnitude quake hit at
12.36 yesterday afternoon, lasting only seconds.
A second smaller quake was also recorded at 1.04pm.
Geoscience Australia seismologist Spiro Spiliopoulos said the earthquake’s epicentre was 20 kilometres north-west of Castlemaine. He said Geoscience Australia received 40 calls from people who felt or heard the earthquake.
“It was an unusual earthquake but it was very small,” Mr Spiliopous said.
“In the last 10 years central Victoria has only had about five earthquakes with the highest having a magnitude of three.
“Central Victoria doesn’t have a lot of seismic activity.”
Residents in Maldon, Shelbourne, Lockwood, Marong and Long Gully all felt the earthquake.
Long Gully resident Andrea McKinnon said she heard rumbling noises.
“It felt like thunder but underneath my feet,” she said. “The whole house shook a little bit.”
Marong resident Jan Boynton said she was eating lunch when the quake hit.
“It was like a jet noise,” said Ms Boynton, who is the Loddon Mallee executive officer of the Regional Development Australia Committee.
“The crockery was tingling and you could see the liquid in our cups of tea was moving.
“It was a weird feeling.”
Shelbourne resident Michael Jerman said he felt both quakes.
“It was like something had landed on the house,” he said.
“The whole house moved.”
The Victorian State Emergency Service issued a warning for the Castlemaine region yesterday afternoon, advising residents about the potential impact the quake might have had on the region.
An SES spokesperson said there had been no reports of damage or requests for assistance.