Magnitude 4.8 earthquake hits Victoria, tremors felt across Melbourne

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck the Australian state of Victoria in the early hours of Saturday morning, shaking the city of Melbourne and waking residents across the region, according to the Guardian.

Geoscience Australia said it detected the earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 at 2:01am near Leongatha, a town located about 130km south-east of Melbourne.

Residents across Melbourne's eastern suburbs reported feeling the tremors, with some describing houses shaking as the quake hit.

The report did not indicate any casualties or significant structural damage resulting from the earthquake.

Victoria experiences earthquakes less frequently than some other parts of the world, meaning a quake of this magnitude is notable enough to be felt widely across a major population center like Melbourne.

Authorities had not issued any aftershock warnings or further advisories at the time of the report.