A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck a remote island near Australia’s southern coast. According to the Daily Mail, The quake hit west of Macquarie Island, which is about 1,600km southeast of Tasmania late on Saturday night.
It had a depth of 10km and is believed to have been felt just after 11 pm. No damage has been reported. Just two weeks ago the island was rocked by a 7.3 magnitude earthquake. Macquarie Island is home to the Australian Antarctic Division station, which is occupied all year round.
According to MSN, It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 and is a refuge for large colonies of penguins and seals. The island is particularly active in terms of seismic activity, sitting on the boundary between the Australian plate and the Pacific plate.
The island had an 8.2 magnitude earthquake in 1989, the largest intra-oceanic earthquake of the 20th century, and also recorded an 8.1 magnitude earthquake in 2004. In December last year, a 6.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded on the island.
