Magnitude 5.4 Earthquake in Western Australia.

Geoscience Australia recorded a Magnitude 5.4 Earthquake at a depth 0f 3 km roughly 64 to the southeast of Manjimup in southern Western Australia, slightly after 5.05 am local time on Friday 9 November 2019 (slightly after 9.05 pm on Thursday 8 November GMT). This Earthquake was felt over a wide area, but there are no reports of any damage or casualties.

The approximate location of the 16 September 2018 Western Australia Earthquake. USGS.

Despite being a long way from any active plate margins, Western Australia is quite prone to Earthquakes, particularly in a zone referred to as the South West Seismic Zone. The cause of these quakes is unclear; the area exists within an area of Archaean Shield known as the Yilgarn Block, which is thought to be between 2.94 and 2.63 billion years old, and which has no internal structures that seem to be related to the quakes.

 The South West Seismic Zone (pink). University of Western Australia.

Witness statements can help geologists to understand Earthquakes and the geological processes that cause them; if you felt this quake (or if you were in the area but did not, which is also useful information) you can report it to Geoscience Australia here.

See also...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.

Magnitude 5.6 Earthquake in Western Australia.

Geoscience Australia recorded a Magnitude 5.6 Earthquake at a shallow depth close to Lake Muir in southern Western Australia, slightly before 1.00 pm local time (slightly before 5.00 am GMT) on Sunday 16 September 2018. This is one of the largest Earthquakes ever reported in Western Australia, and was felt over a wide area, but there are no reports of any damage or casualties.

The approximate location of the 16 September 2018 Western Australia Earthquake. USGS.

 

Despite being a long way from any active plate margins, Western Australia is quite prone to Earthquakes, particularly in a zone referred to as the South West Seismic Zone. The cause of these quakes is unclear; the area exists within an area of Archaean Shield known as the Yilgarn Block, which is thought to be between 2.94 and 2.63 billion years old, and which has no internal structures that seem to be related to the quakes.

 

 The South West Seismic Zone (pink). University of Western Australia.

 

Witness statements can help geologists to understand Earthquakes and the geological processes that cause them; if you felt this quake (or if you were in the area but did not, which is also useful information) you can report it to Geoscience Australia here.

See also...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.

Earthquake northeast of Perth, Australia.

Slightly after 2.30 pm local time (slightly after 4.30 am, GMT) on Thursday 9 August 2012, Geoscience Australia recorded an Earthquake slightly over 200 km northeast of Perth, the capitol of Western Australia, measuring 2.7 on the Richter Scale, and at a depth to shallow to be measured. This is to small to have caused any serious damage of casualties, but is large enough that it may have been felt by people in the area.

The location of the 9 August 2012 quake. Google Maps.

Despite being a long way from any active plate margins, Western Australia is quite prone to Earthquakes, particularly in a zone referred to as the South West Seismic Zone. The cause of these quakes is unclear; the area exists within an area of Archaean Shield known as the Yilgarn Block, which is thought to be between 2.94 and 2.63 billion years old, and which has no internal structures that seem to be related to the quakes.

The South West Seismic Zone (pink). University of Western Australia.

Witness accounts of Earthquakes help geologists build up a picture of the movements associated with these events, and the buried structures that cause them. If you felt this quake you can report it here.

See also Minor Earthquake in New South Wales, Earthquake in New South Wales, Earthquake shakes Macquarie Island, Melbourne shaken by Earthquake and Earthquakes on Sciency Thoughts YouTube.

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.