Confusion on Covid rule after Melbourne earthquake
Locked-down Melburnians have been given clarification on the 10km limit after Victoria’s record-breaking earthquake caused damage across the state.
Victoria
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Locked-down Melburnians will be able to travel beyond their 10km limit to carry out urgent repairs on country properties damaged during Wednesday’s earthquake.
The state government on Thursday night confirmed exemptions would be allowed but it was not clear if Melbourne residents could travel to proactively survey potential damage.
“Earthquake repairs would be permitted where the earthquake has caused damage and urgent or essential work is required for the repairs,’’ a government statement said.
One Caulfield resident told the Herald Sun he wanted to travel to Mansfield to check on his property but didn’t want to incur a $5452 fine.
The news comes as further aftershocks were recorded in the northeast near the epicentre of the original 5.9 magnitude shock.
Four more tremors were registered on Thursday, ranging from 2.6 to 3.0 magnitude, all in the Rawson area about 120km east of Melbourne.
Geoscience Australia geophysicist Hadi Ghasemi said more smaller tremors could have occurred but may have been masked by other shocks.
The clean-up on Chapel St, Windsor, continued with crews cleaning away bricks and debris from the Betty’s Burgers building at the corner of Green St.
No decision has been made yet on whether the 1881 building would be repaired or demolished.
Tram lines were still being repaired late on Thursday, with Chapel St closed between Union and St John streets.
The Covid testing and vaccination centres at Prahran and Malvern town halls were reopened after being closed as a precaution for structural checks. Building inspectors gave both 19th century town halls the all clear and the Star Health-run clinic was operating as normal on Thursday.
Insurance assessors were also continuing checks on several buildings on the popular shopping and dining strip.
The nation’s biggest general insurer – Insurance Australia Group – has received more than 430 Victorian quake claims in the day after the impact. IAG chief Nick Hawkins said Covid restrictions may result in it taking longer than usual for commercial customers to identify damage.
IAG’s key brands in Victoria include RACV and CGU.
Engineering experts also examined Melbourne’s key infrastructure and transport projects in the quake’s aftermath.
Inspectors have reviewed key sites including the West Gate Bridge, Bolte Bridge, the Burnley and Domain Tunnels and the Metro Tunnel construction site. All were given the all clear. The Metro site was closed because of the construction lockdown.
Department of Transport spokesman Chris Miller said the road and transport network had held up well.
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