Few thought it was a quake

IT was not a truck driving past, nor a low-flying aeroplane.

If you thought the ground was shaking on Saturday afternoon, you were right. It was an earthquake.

At 3.31pm on Saturday a 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook the ground in a 200km radius from the epicentre, about 60km west of Bowen. There were no reports of damage.

The earthquake was the largest in the region since 1913, when a 5.7 one hit Charters Towers. Three large aftershocks were felt following the main quake on Saturday: a magnitude four at 5.06pm, a magnitude 3.2 at 11.06pm and a magnitude 3 at 1.33am yesterday.

Brian and Bonnie Hull were enjoying a quiet cup of tea and reading the paper when their house in South Mackay started to shake.

“We thought a truck or something had bumped into the house.”

At the same time, Whitsunday regional Mayor Mike Brunker was at his Bowen home.

“There were glasses and plates moving,” he said.

“It lasted about 10 seconds; I had to go next door and ask the neighbours because I thought I might be going mad.”