The Great Australian Earthquake

Did you know that there was a significant earthquake in Australia yesterday, felt from one coast to the other? No; nor did we. 

But Las Vegas-based Guardian Express reported it, so it must be true; check this out:

A severe earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 has erupted in an area 20 kilometers east of Seddon.

Seddon is a suburb 7 km west of Melbourne, Australia, with a population of about 4,851 people. It is located in the state of Victoria on the southeast tip of Australia.  The shock effects of the quake have been felt as far away as Napier, in Western Australia, 3,302 kilometers (2,066 miles) from Melbourne.  This suggests that the path of the quake is along the southern part of Australia.
The intensity of earthquakes is measured by the moment magnitude scale (MMS).  Events with magnitudes greater than 4.5 are strong enough to be recorded by a seismograph anywhere in the world.
The death toll for earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 to 6.9 can reach 25,000 people.  A large number of buildings in populated areas can be destroyed.   The damage can be experienced far from the epicenter. (Wikipedia)

The depth of the quake near Seddon, as of 5:09 p.m., was 19km, which is over 11 miles deep.

Earthquakes can occur up to 700 kilometers below the surface.
There is an average of one earthquake per year in Australia with a magnitude of 5 or greater and a depth of 0 to 70 km.  (USGS)
By:  Tom Ukinski

Maybe Guardian Express needs to send Tom Ukinski to a geography course, or at least teach him to use Google more effectively!

FOOTNOTE: This same fine, esteemed publication also reported the death of Nelson Mandela last month.

UPDATE: We've just noticed this on Twitter:

However, this isn't from Tom Ukinski, journalist with the Guradian Express in Las Vegas; it's from Tom Ukinski, attorney in state government in the Midwest!