January 26, 1892 Earthquake: Tasman Sea

Reference #14032:

The 1892 Tasman Sea earthquake came at the end of the swarm that began in 1883, and was the largest of the entire sequence. At this stage, the swarm had dwindled to about four felt events per year.

The following day, the observatory at Hobart issued the following communique:

“Communications have been .received from a large number of places respecting the extraordinary earth tremor of yesterday morning. Most of the accounts state the time at which the shock was felt to have been 2.50 a.m., but a few give 2.35 and 2.45 as the time for the first shock. In some cases several shocks were felt; in others remarkable local disturbances and extraordinary noises were noticed. At Boobyalla the shock or tremor (for it is variously described) was accompanied by the sound of rushing water, while a heavy surf broke on the bar when the tremor passed. The first tremor occurred at 2.53 a.m., and was followed by a lighter one at 3 a.m. At St. Mary's two shocks were noticed at an interval of eight minutes, while at Emu Bay three shocks were felt. At Swansea a similar noise was noticed to that at Boobyalla. At Scottsdale and Gould's Country the tremor is described as the most severe that has ever been experienced..., Among other places, the tremor was felt at Emu Bay, Low Head, Launceston, Boobyalla, St. Mary's, Swansea, Scottsdale, Falmouth, Oatlands, Fingal, Deloraine, Avoca, Carnarvon, Eaglehawk Neck, Glenora, New Town, and Hobart, where in one instance in Goulburn-street the flower pots in a house were thrown down with such violence that one of them was smashed.. The tremor was also felt at Zeehan and Strahan. From these advices it will readily be seen that this earth tremor was fairly general throughout the island. [The Mercury, 28 January 1892 p3]”

It should be noted that with the shock occurring early in the morning, the date of the event was 26 January UTC, but 27 January local time.

[…] there is almost no mention of damage