Geoscience Australia measures magnitude 1.8 earthquake near Longley

Residents in parts of Southern Tasmania have reportedly felt the ground rumbling after Geoscience Australia confirms a small Earthquake. But it has surprised a seismologist. Details >>

Over 21 felt reports have been made to Geoscience after a 2.3 magnitude Earthquake rocked the Huonville region. Picture: Geoscience Australia

The amount of people who reported they felt a tiny earthquake lightly rock Southern Tasmania has surprised a seismologist.

It comes as a magnitude 1.8 earthquake was recorded near Longley just after 10pm on Sunday.

Geoscience Australia originally reported the earthquake to be a magnitude 2.3, before downgrading it.

But despite being small in size, residents in Kingston, Blackmans Bay and Margate felt the shallow earthquake, as Geoscience Australia received more than 35 felt reports.

“It’s impressive that we’ve had so many people. It looks like it’s pretty populated in that whole area from Kingston up through Leslie Vale,” senior seismologist Phil Cummins said.

“I’m a bit surprised there are so many felt reports but it could just be that it’s close enough to populated areas. It was a generally weak shaking, still it’s quite a few for an earthquake this small.”

Professor Cummins said there were a number of reasons why people could feel it.

“It might just be a random chance that someone is more likely to feel it but it could also be that there may be some people that have homes on soft soils which amplify the shaking a bit,” he said.

“We do appreciate getting those felt reports.

“I personally would not have guessed that many people could feel this earthquake but it’s important for us to know because it helps us understand a bit more about the behaviour of the earthquake and the seismic waves.”

There has been no reported injuries or damage to properties.

Prof Cummins said it is unlikely there will be any follow-up earthquakes.

“Earthquakes can happen anywhere in Australia because of the gradual build up of stress in the Australian crust that’s caused by forces transmitted from the plate boundary thousands of kilometres away,” he said.

“There doesn’t seem to not be many earthquakes this close to Hobart, but this is one of them.”

Last September, a minor magnitude 3.4 earthquake was recorded west of the northwest tip of Tasmania.

In 2002, King Island felt a magnitude 4.5 earthquake, which was felt around Burnie, Smithton and Strahan.