‘I honestly thought a tram hit my house’: What readers said about the earthquake

It was the barking dogs that convinced Cori Lainez that the violent shake that tore a crack through his kitchen wall was an earthquake.

Parts of Melbourne were rattled by a magnitude 3.8 earth tremor that was felt as far afield as Tasmania on Sunday night. It had an epicentre right near Lainez’s house in Sunbury.

Adam Pascale was woken by the earthquake on Sunday night.

“I thought a car or truck had hit the house,” he said. “Before I could even stand up, the dogs were running around the house barking.”

Like Lainez, many readers of The Age reported hearing loud bangs, barking dogs, and shaking furniture. Here are some readers’ experiences:

“The house suddenly shook. I thought there was a big gust of wind but realised it was an earthquake. Just as I was about to run downstairs, it stopped. Don’t think anything has been broken or damaged but definitely a scary experience.” – Anisha

“I was in Footscray hospital and felt the floor and bed shake. Nurses were saying did you feel that?” – John

“My house backs onto route 96 tram. I honestly thought a tram had run off the tracks at high speed and hit my house! A loud bang followed by my three-storey house shaking briefly.” – Marjolein

“In Mernda … it felt like a huge truck about the crash into my house. Scary.” – Fardowsa

“I had heard this big noise in my room as I was laying down and I thought it was just my cat climbing on the roof but not until about an hour later I saw everyone online posting about it and just realised we had an earthquake.” – Mya

“I was woken by the sound of the earthquake and the bed shaking. It was a distinct roar from the ground. My shower screen in the ensuite was rattling. By the roar and the shaking I suspected it was shallow with an epicentre nearby.” – Dianne

“Probably the most scary thing I have ever experienced. I woke up and honestly expected to see an aircraft sticking up with fire all around it.” – Per

“Over here in Sandhurst, it started with a very low-frequency grumbling sound that could be heard in the distance. A few seconds later there was one short tremor, but quite powerful that made my house and my bed shake. I was ready to jump out of my bed to run outside if necessary. Tomorrow I will be checking the walls for cracks caused by this tremor.” – Jerry

“The sudden jolt I felt in Glenroy was so scary, I honestly thought a plane crashed nearby.” – Ali

“I was on my computer concentrating, then heard an almighty crack followed by a significant tremor. It frightened the life out of me.” – Julie

“Felt this in St Kilda West, a loud noise followed by quite a big sway on the second floor of the house.” – David

“Felt it down in Mornington Peninsula. I thought someone was on the roof or jumped down on the deck because it was bloody loud.” – Josh

“It shook my solid brick home. It sounded like an explosion.” – Violetta

“In Keilor, the whole bed rumbled and the house shook. No damage as much as I can see this late at night.” – Stan

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