A 6.6 magnitude undersea earthquake has struck off the coast of Western Australia, making it the joint-largest earthquake ever recorded in the country. The tremor, which occurred at 3.39pm AEST on Sunday between Port Hedland and Broome, was felt as far north as Darwin and as far south as Perth.
GeoScience Australia reported that the earthquake matched the magnitude of a 1988 quake in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. The agency initially recorded the magnitude as 5.5 but later upgraded it. The United States Geological Survey recorded the quake at 6.9 magnitude at a depth of 33 kilometres, approximately 203 kilometres offshore.
There is no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Several aftershocks have been recorded, ranging from 3.8 to 5.2 magnitude, with more expected.
Local residents described the experience as unprecedented. Derby resident Jody Gaunt said her chair rocked during the quake, adding, "We've never had an earthquake up here, or a tremor." Items were reported to have fallen from shelves at a local Woolworths store. In Port Hedland, a hotel employee likened the shaking to a vibrating machine, while a Broome resident said the whole house shook.
No injuries or building damage have been reported, according to St John Ambulance and police.
