officials closely assessing the condition of the track.<\/a><\/p>\nCampers in parts of the Otways have also been warned to watch for rising floodwater, with up to 150mm of rain expected across the weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are camping close to a creek or river, you may be at risk of flooding and need to move to higher ground, away from waterways,\u201d a State Emergency Service statement said.<\/p>\n
A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall is in place for the Gippsland region.<\/p>\n
SES volunteers have been bombarded with more than 400 requests for help from October 1 to 7am Saturday. <\/p>\n
There were 128 requests for building damage, 134 for fallen trees and 91 requests relating to flood issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith more rain expected today, we\u2019re asking communities to stay vigilant and never drive through floodwater, especially for those in the warning area,\u201d an SES statement said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
![\"Earthquake](\"https:\/\/content.api.news\/v3\/images\/bin\/9aae48631589a2356750aef2ed3f890c\")
<\/p>\n
No reports of any damage or injuries have been reported from the earthquake.<\/p>\n
But more than 18,000 people have reported feeling the overnight tremors, sharing their stories of shock and confusion on social media.<\/p>\n
\u201cWoke me up on the 11th floor of my apartment building in Melbourne,\u201d another user said.<\/p>\n
A Belgrave resident commented: \u201cWoke up the kids, & the frogs went completely quiet throughout.\u201d<\/p>\n
Less than an hour later a seismic aftershock struck, reaching a magnitude of 3.1.<\/p>\n
Geoscience Victoria seismologist Dr Hadi Ghasemi said \u201caftershocks are always a possibility\u201d and advised people who feel tremors to report what they felt to the Geoscience website when safe to do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe data is extremely valuable to help us better understand the intensity of earthquakes in Australia and informs important decision-making tools like the National Seismic Hazard Assessment,\u201d a Geoscience Victoria spokeswoman said.<\/p>\n
Dr Ghasemi said aftershocks can be recorded for days, weeks, months and in some cases even years after the initial earthquake.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking at our database over the past 20 years in a 100km radius from the recent event, we have actually registered more than 200 events just for that particular region,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said the latest earthquake was the second largest in the region behind a 5.4 magnitude in Moa, 60km from Leongatha, in 2012.<\/p>\n
Earthquakes occur when pressure ruptures deep within the earth. <\/p>\n
The shakes and tremors, also known as seismic waves that people feel is the energy that is produced through the earth. <\/p>\n
Dr Ghasemi explains that the complex process of earthquakes is similar to cracking your knuckles: \u201cWhen you snap your fingers, there is a certain friction \u2026 when it snaps, then you hear that sound wave.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tectonic plate we are sitting on is being moved northeast at the rate of 7cm per year \u2026 overtime this stress is getting accumulated and released in the form of earthquakes.\u201d<\/p>\n
While earthquakes can\u2019t be predicted, Dr Ghasemi says past earthquakes are mapped to create a seismic hazard map to provide a picture of what we may expect.<\/p>\n
The largest earthquake experienced in Victoria occurred in 2021, reaching a magnitude of 5.9 near the town of Rawson, 100km from Leongatha.<\/p>\n
The Victorian State Emergency Service has confirmed online that there is no immediate threat to the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you felt the earthquake, stay calm, check for hazards, and be prepared for further possible aftershocks,\u201d the statement said. <\/p>\n
There have been no reports of any damage.<\/p>\n
For earthquake related emergency assistance from the SES phone 132 500. Only call triple-0 (000) in a life threatening emergency.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The state\u2019s biggest earthquake in three years struck in the early hours of Saturday morning, shaking Victorians, 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