A 3.5 magnitude earthquake has shaken the historic gold mining town of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in regional Western Australia early Friday morning. According to Geoscience Australia, the tremor struck at 5:34 am local time at a depth of 5 kilometers.
Residents Woken by Tremor
The earthquake originated on the western fringe of the town but was felt across Kalgoorlie. Geoscience Australia recorded 382 “felt reports” from residents who experienced the shaking.
Many locals took to social media to describe the event. One person reported that their bed and windows vibrated, while another described it as “a big one” accompanied by a “big bang.” Another resident said, “The whole house wobbled.”
One perplexed resident asked, “Wow, was that a blast or earthquake? It shook the house and it was very loud.”
Earlier Smaller Quake
The same area experienced a smaller 2.5 magnitude earthquake just hours earlier, at 5:49 pm on Thursday. That tremor, located about 100 meters northwest, also originated at a depth of 5 kilometers but only generated 118 felt reports.
Geoscience Australia continues to monitor seismic activity in the region.
