Victoria on high alert for more aftershocks after suffering through its largest earthquake in history – as it’s revealed a tradesman was injured on a job site after the initial tremor
- Tradesman in Mount Eliza was injured while working on a job site on Wednesday
Victorians have been warned there may be more aftershocks after the state suffered its largest earthquake that left a tradesman injured on a job site.
The magnitude 5.9 quake hit about 9.15am on Wednesday, with the epicentre between Mansfield and Rawson in the state’s northeast.
The 10km deep earthquake – the biggest in the state since records began – was felt across Melbourne and as far away as Canberra, Sydney and Adelaide.
Initially, there were no reports of injuries, however, State Emergency Service chief officer Tim Wiebusch said on Thursday a man in Mount Eliza suffered minor injuries.
Victorians have been warned there may be more aftershocks after the state suffered its largest earthquake that left a tradesman injured on a job site
‘A man that was working on a repair of a construction and that, in the shaking, moved and came on top of him,’ he told the Seven network.
At least eight aftershocks have been registered between 2.4 and 4.1 on the Richter scale, and further tremors are expected in the coming days, and possibly months.
‘We are asking people to know what to do: drop, cover and hold is the key message,’ Mr Wiebusch said on Wednesday.
There were more than 100 calls for assistance after the initial earthquake, with 55 of those in metropolitan Melbourne.
Most were for minor structural damage to chimneys, facades and older buildings.
Mr Wiebusch has urged anyone who discovers building damage to contact a licensed builder or technician, with emergency repairs still allowed under COVID-19 restrictions.
Some building damage has emerged in metropolitan Melbourne and areas near Mansfield, with Beechworth hospital losing power and one of the crosses at St Patrick’s Church in Wangaratta falling down.
Among the city structures damaged was the facade of a Brunswick Street building in Fitzroy and the exterior of Betty’s Burgers on Chapel Street in Windsor.
No one was inside the restaurant when the earthquake hit, and managing director Troy McDonagh told AAP he expects the business won’t be able to reopen for months.
Insurer Allianz had received 70 claims as of 3pm Wednesday, mostly for minor cracking but some for ‘extensive damage’.
The earthquake was originally recorded as a magnitude six, but later revised to 5.8 and then 5.9 on the Richter scale.
More to come.
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