North Queensland rocked by 5.4 earthquake, 124km southeast of Townsville

News.com.au, From: NewsCore April 16, 2011

Bar patrons reported shaking glasses and moving bottles ...
.. then went back to their beers.

• Struck 124km southeast of Townsville
• Similar quakes rocks Christchurch
• No damage, tsunami

NORTH Queensland has been rocked by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake, with reports from across the region of buildings "shuddering''.

New Zealand city Christchurch was hit with an aftershock of the same magnitude just 18 minutes later.

The Queensland quake struck at 3.31pm local time, according to a preliminary report by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The USGS said it hit about 124km southeast of Townsville and 991km northwest of Brisbane.

The quake's epicenter was at a depth of 10km near Bowen and Ayr.

The quake is one of the largest to occur in Queensland in many years, The Sunday Mail reported.

The USGS measured it as a 5.2 magnitude quake, but Geoscience Australia recorded it at 5.4.

There was no tsunami warning issued and there were no reports of damage.

Townsville councillor Natalie Marr told how her windows rattled and her young daughter leapt into her arms during the quake.

"It scared my daughter enough she jumped on the couch with me and my windows were rattling,'' Ms Marr told AAP.

"I haven't heard of any damage at the moment.

"We usually get SMS warnings if there is more danger and to stay inside and that hasn't happened.''

Ms Marr said she had been listening to the local radio for updates and had heard people as far south as Bowen calling the station saying they felt the quake.

"It's hard to say how long it lasted, but it was probably about 10 to 20 seconds I think,'' Ms Marr said.

"I heard a guy on the radio say he timed it and it lasted 40 seconds, but it's hard to tell."

Townsville's Seaview Hotel manager Aaron Tyack said about 50 patrons witnessed tables shaking and water bottles on the bar moving.

He said the quake lasted five or 10 seconds, but no one felt any fear of danger.

The Christchurch quake hit at 5:49pm local time and follows the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that hit on February 22, causing widespread damage and a death toll eventually expected to top 180.

The quake's epicenter was 16km east-southeast of the city at a depth of 9.2km, according to the USGS.

Power was knocked out in some parts of the city, which has been experiencing constant aftershocks since a 7.1 quake in September, 2010.