Melbourne earthquake

An earthquake measuring 5.9 occurred northeast of Melbourne, in southeastern Australia, on Sept. 22, causing some structural damage to buildings and rail lines as well as cutting off power to parts of the city. At the time, the city was (and still was at press time) under a COVID-19 lockdown. No injuries were reported.

Australia rarely experiences major quakes. This was the largest earthquake ever recorded in the state of Victoria. It was felt 540 miles away from Melbourne in Sydney and, halfway between, in Canberra.