logo
Thousands rattled as 6.7 magnitude earthquake off Top End rocks Darwin

Thousands rattled as 6.7 magnitude earthquake off Top End rocks Darwin

7NEWS14-07-2025
Northern Territory residents have been rocked by a strong offshore earthquake which has left the Top End rattled.
Geoscience Australia recorded the 6.7 magnitude earthquake off the Tanimbar Islands Region in Indonesia, which hit at a depth of 37km undersea at about 3.20pm local time on Monday.
Over 1300 people made official reports of feeling the quake in Darwin, with more reporting the shocks as far south as Katherine and as far west as Kununurra in Western Australia.
The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre, operated by the Bureau of Meteorology and Geoscience Australia, said there was no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland or islands.
'Buildings shook for a good minute or two,' one person shared on Facebook.
Another said they felt it in a building on the Darwin waterfront 'five stories up'.
'I'm down in Katherine for work and felt that here too, was pretty strong,' said another.
There were also reports of items 'toppling' off shelves in a Darwin stores.
Despite the strong earthquake, local Indonesian media said there were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage closer to the epicentre.
Stream free on
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Insurance catastrophe': premium price hikes hit flood-prone communities
'Insurance catastrophe': premium price hikes hit flood-prone communities

The Advertiser

time2 days ago

  • The Advertiser

'Insurance catastrophe': premium price hikes hit flood-prone communities

Port Macquarie's North Shore residents say they will continue to live in the 'idyllic' riverside location despite ongoing insurance price hikes. The North Shore area can only be accessed via a ferry service from the mainland of Port Macquarie. It has been hit hard by two recent flood events including in March 2021 and most recently in May. Claims made by North Shore residents, as well as thousands of others across the Mid North Coast, prompted an 'insurance catastrophe' call for flood-hit communities in May. The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) CEO, Andrew Hall, said the decision to elevate the classification from a "Significant Event" was based on direct feedback from the ground and the severity of the damage across the region. Read more: Disaster deadline: Natural disasters, severe weather cause coastal and riverine erosion Jo and Steve Taylor have lived on Port Macquarie's North Shore since 2016. They say the insurance situation is only 'getting worse' due to ongoing premium price hikes but they won't consider moving. "We've got such a nice community over here that the benefits of the North Shore probably at this stage outweigh that," Mr Taylor said. They've heard from other residents that some insurance companies won't let people opt out of flood coverage, which can hike up home insurance by thousands of dollars - as much as $30,000 in some cases. The Taylors have heard from other residents some companies are refusing to insure some North Shore properties at all. An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said most home insurance policies now automatically include flood cover due to climate change risks so that policyholders are better protected, though some insurers allow customers to opt out. "While no Australian regions are uninsurable, extreme weather events are driving premium increases," she said. The Taylors say residents feel the impact of flooding, even if it's just a minor flood, as electricity and water is switched off. They say it's vital that residents have a flood plan that includes what supplies to stock up on, as well as having access to generators to ensure they can sit out any future natural disaster. The Taylors say the entire North Shore area is being treated as a high-risk flood area, without taking into consideration houses on a 'case by case' basis. An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said high-risk flood areas generally incur higher insurance premiums, particularly properties near rivers and streams, which is why it is essential that governments at all levels work with the industry to drive down risk. "Residents are encouraged to check council flood maps to assess their property's risk," she said. Mr Taylor said technology should be able to be utilised in an effective way to 'pinpoint' risk but he doesn't believe that's happening right now. "How do we know the premium that they're charging us is correct for all of those risks?," he said. Lifestyle Group real estate agent Brendan Stead said he recently sold a property on the North Shore, which demonstrates demand for housing remains strong despite the recent flooding event. The property at 14 Shoreline Drive sold for $910,000 after being on the market for 38 days. Mr Stead said this time on the market was quicker than Port Macquarie's average of around 42 days. The previous owners bought the property in 2015 for $499,000. "That's strong testament to the fact that at the end of the day [that property is still] valuable even though they're in that flood zone," he said. Legally, real estate agents have to declare if a listed property has been impacted by flood or fire in the past five years. Mr Stead said a lot of homes on the North Shore are built to handle extreme weather events, by using certain materials or through having a double-storey design. The Insurance Council is calling for a $30 billion, 10-year Flood Defence Fund to be invested across the most at-risk river catchments along the east coast, including the Mid-North Coast. "The only sustainable way to moderate rising costs is through risk mitigation via industry-government collaboration on household-level improvements and community infrastructure like levees," the Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Australian homes could be rated on their vulnerability to bushfires, floods and other climate risks in a move that would keep buyers from uninsurable properties. A resilience rating is among suggestions released by the Productivity Commission to manage the costs of climate change and cutting emissions to "free up resources for more productive activity". Port Macquarie's North Shore residents say they will continue to live in the 'idyllic' riverside location despite ongoing insurance price hikes. The North Shore area can only be accessed via a ferry service from the mainland of Port Macquarie. It has been hit hard by two recent flood events including in March 2021 and most recently in May. Claims made by North Shore residents, as well as thousands of others across the Mid North Coast, prompted an 'insurance catastrophe' call for flood-hit communities in May. The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) CEO, Andrew Hall, said the decision to elevate the classification from a "Significant Event" was based on direct feedback from the ground and the severity of the damage across the region. Read more: Disaster deadline: Natural disasters, severe weather cause coastal and riverine erosion Jo and Steve Taylor have lived on Port Macquarie's North Shore since 2016. They say the insurance situation is only 'getting worse' due to ongoing premium price hikes but they won't consider moving. "We've got such a nice community over here that the benefits of the North Shore probably at this stage outweigh that," Mr Taylor said. They've heard from other residents that some insurance companies won't let people opt out of flood coverage, which can hike up home insurance by thousands of dollars - as much as $30,000 in some cases. The Taylors have heard from other residents some companies are refusing to insure some North Shore properties at all. An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said most home insurance policies now automatically include flood cover due to climate change risks so that policyholders are better protected, though some insurers allow customers to opt out. "While no Australian regions are uninsurable, extreme weather events are driving premium increases," she said. The Taylors say residents feel the impact of flooding, even if it's just a minor flood, as electricity and water is switched off. They say it's vital that residents have a flood plan that includes what supplies to stock up on, as well as having access to generators to ensure they can sit out any future natural disaster. The Taylors say the entire North Shore area is being treated as a high-risk flood area, without taking into consideration houses on a 'case by case' basis. An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said high-risk flood areas generally incur higher insurance premiums, particularly properties near rivers and streams, which is why it is essential that governments at all levels work with the industry to drive down risk. "Residents are encouraged to check council flood maps to assess their property's risk," she said. Mr Taylor said technology should be able to be utilised in an effective way to 'pinpoint' risk but he doesn't believe that's happening right now. "How do we know the premium that they're charging us is correct for all of those risks?," he said. Lifestyle Group real estate agent Brendan Stead said he recently sold a property on the North Shore, which demonstrates demand for housing remains strong despite the recent flooding event. The property at 14 Shoreline Drive sold for $910,000 after being on the market for 38 days. Mr Stead said this time on the market was quicker than Port Macquarie's average of around 42 days. The previous owners bought the property in 2015 for $499,000. "That's strong testament to the fact that at the end of the day [that property is still] valuable even though they're in that flood zone," he said. Legally, real estate agents have to declare if a listed property has been impacted by flood or fire in the past five years. Mr Stead said a lot of homes on the North Shore are built to handle extreme weather events, by using certain materials or through having a double-storey design. The Insurance Council is calling for a $30 billion, 10-year Flood Defence Fund to be invested across the most at-risk river catchments along the east coast, including the Mid-North Coast. "The only sustainable way to moderate rising costs is through risk mitigation via industry-government collaboration on household-level improvements and community infrastructure like levees," the Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Australian homes could be rated on their vulnerability to bushfires, floods and other climate risks in a move that would keep buyers from uninsurable properties. A resilience rating is among suggestions released by the Productivity Commission to manage the costs of climate change and cutting emissions to "free up resources for more productive activity". Port Macquarie's North Shore residents say they will continue to live in the 'idyllic' riverside location despite ongoing insurance price hikes. The North Shore area can only be accessed via a ferry service from the mainland of Port Macquarie. It has been hit hard by two recent flood events including in March 2021 and most recently in May. Claims made by North Shore residents, as well as thousands of others across the Mid North Coast, prompted an 'insurance catastrophe' call for flood-hit communities in May. The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) CEO, Andrew Hall, said the decision to elevate the classification from a "Significant Event" was based on direct feedback from the ground and the severity of the damage across the region. Read more: Disaster deadline: Natural disasters, severe weather cause coastal and riverine erosion Jo and Steve Taylor have lived on Port Macquarie's North Shore since 2016. They say the insurance situation is only 'getting worse' due to ongoing premium price hikes but they won't consider moving. "We've got such a nice community over here that the benefits of the North Shore probably at this stage outweigh that," Mr Taylor said. They've heard from other residents that some insurance companies won't let people opt out of flood coverage, which can hike up home insurance by thousands of dollars - as much as $30,000 in some cases. The Taylors have heard from other residents some companies are refusing to insure some North Shore properties at all. An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said most home insurance policies now automatically include flood cover due to climate change risks so that policyholders are better protected, though some insurers allow customers to opt out. "While no Australian regions are uninsurable, extreme weather events are driving premium increases," she said. The Taylors say residents feel the impact of flooding, even if it's just a minor flood, as electricity and water is switched off. They say it's vital that residents have a flood plan that includes what supplies to stock up on, as well as having access to generators to ensure they can sit out any future natural disaster. The Taylors say the entire North Shore area is being treated as a high-risk flood area, without taking into consideration houses on a 'case by case' basis. An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said high-risk flood areas generally incur higher insurance premiums, particularly properties near rivers and streams, which is why it is essential that governments at all levels work with the industry to drive down risk. "Residents are encouraged to check council flood maps to assess their property's risk," she said. Mr Taylor said technology should be able to be utilised in an effective way to 'pinpoint' risk but he doesn't believe that's happening right now. "How do we know the premium that they're charging us is correct for all of those risks?," he said. Lifestyle Group real estate agent Brendan Stead said he recently sold a property on the North Shore, which demonstrates demand for housing remains strong despite the recent flooding event. The property at 14 Shoreline Drive sold for $910,000 after being on the market for 38 days. Mr Stead said this time on the market was quicker than Port Macquarie's average of around 42 days. The previous owners bought the property in 2015 for $499,000. "That's strong testament to the fact that at the end of the day [that property is still] valuable even though they're in that flood zone," he said. Legally, real estate agents have to declare if a listed property has been impacted by flood or fire in the past five years. Mr Stead said a lot of homes on the North Shore are built to handle extreme weather events, by using certain materials or through having a double-storey design. The Insurance Council is calling for a $30 billion, 10-year Flood Defence Fund to be invested across the most at-risk river catchments along the east coast, including the Mid-North Coast. "The only sustainable way to moderate rising costs is through risk mitigation via industry-government collaboration on household-level improvements and community infrastructure like levees," the Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Australian homes could be rated on their vulnerability to bushfires, floods and other climate risks in a move that would keep buyers from uninsurable properties. A resilience rating is among suggestions released by the Productivity Commission to manage the costs of climate change and cutting emissions to "free up resources for more productive activity". Port Macquarie's North Shore residents say they will continue to live in the 'idyllic' riverside location despite ongoing insurance price hikes. The North Shore area can only be accessed via a ferry service from the mainland of Port Macquarie. It has been hit hard by two recent flood events including in March 2021 and most recently in May. Claims made by North Shore residents, as well as thousands of others across the Mid North Coast, prompted an 'insurance catastrophe' call for flood-hit communities in May. The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) CEO, Andrew Hall, said the decision to elevate the classification from a "Significant Event" was based on direct feedback from the ground and the severity of the damage across the region. Read more: Disaster deadline: Natural disasters, severe weather cause coastal and riverine erosion Jo and Steve Taylor have lived on Port Macquarie's North Shore since 2016. They say the insurance situation is only 'getting worse' due to ongoing premium price hikes but they won't consider moving. "We've got such a nice community over here that the benefits of the North Shore probably at this stage outweigh that," Mr Taylor said. They've heard from other residents that some insurance companies won't let people opt out of flood coverage, which can hike up home insurance by thousands of dollars - as much as $30,000 in some cases. The Taylors have heard from other residents some companies are refusing to insure some North Shore properties at all. An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said most home insurance policies now automatically include flood cover due to climate change risks so that policyholders are better protected, though some insurers allow customers to opt out. "While no Australian regions are uninsurable, extreme weather events are driving premium increases," she said. The Taylors say residents feel the impact of flooding, even if it's just a minor flood, as electricity and water is switched off. They say it's vital that residents have a flood plan that includes what supplies to stock up on, as well as having access to generators to ensure they can sit out any future natural disaster. The Taylors say the entire North Shore area is being treated as a high-risk flood area, without taking into consideration houses on a 'case by case' basis. An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said high-risk flood areas generally incur higher insurance premiums, particularly properties near rivers and streams, which is why it is essential that governments at all levels work with the industry to drive down risk. "Residents are encouraged to check council flood maps to assess their property's risk," she said. Mr Taylor said technology should be able to be utilised in an effective way to 'pinpoint' risk but he doesn't believe that's happening right now. "How do we know the premium that they're charging us is correct for all of those risks?," he said. Lifestyle Group real estate agent Brendan Stead said he recently sold a property on the North Shore, which demonstrates demand for housing remains strong despite the recent flooding event. The property at 14 Shoreline Drive sold for $910,000 after being on the market for 38 days. Mr Stead said this time on the market was quicker than Port Macquarie's average of around 42 days. The previous owners bought the property in 2015 for $499,000. "That's strong testament to the fact that at the end of the day [that property is still] valuable even though they're in that flood zone," he said. Legally, real estate agents have to declare if a listed property has been impacted by flood or fire in the past five years. Mr Stead said a lot of homes on the North Shore are built to handle extreme weather events, by using certain materials or through having a double-storey design. The Insurance Council is calling for a $30 billion, 10-year Flood Defence Fund to be invested across the most at-risk river catchments along the east coast, including the Mid-North Coast. "The only sustainable way to moderate rising costs is through risk mitigation via industry-government collaboration on household-level improvements and community infrastructure like levees," the Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Australian homes could be rated on their vulnerability to bushfires, floods and other climate risks in a move that would keep buyers from uninsurable properties. A resilience rating is among suggestions released by the Productivity Commission to manage the costs of climate change and cutting emissions to "free up resources for more productive activity".

Rapist MP resigns before historic vote
Rapist MP resigns before historic vote

Sky News AU

time2 days ago

  • Sky News AU

Rapist MP resigns before historic vote

Ooops, an error has occurred! Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we'll help resolve the issue or try again later. The Streaming Subscription provides Australians access to top rating opinion shows, award-winning political coverage, live breaking news, sport and weather, expert business insights and groundbreaking documentaries across four dedicated news channels for $5 a month. This includes: Sky News – Australia's news channel featuring award-winning journalists, insights from the biggest names in opinion, ground-breaking special investigations, and live breaking news, sport and weather. Available live and on-demand. Sky News Extra – A dedicated 24/7 channel featuring live press conferences and Parliament broadcasts, with unfiltered access to Australian democracy in action. Available live. Sky News Weather – Australia's only 24/7 weather channel bringing you the latest weather forecasts from the country's largest team of meteorologists. Available live. FOX SPORTS News – Australia's only 24/7 sports news channel, first and live in breaking sports news. Available live. Stream Sky News channel shows in full live and on-demand on or the Sky News Australia app and cast to your compatible TV. For the best streaming experience, stream your favourite Sky News shows on your compatible Smart TV. For a step-by-step guide on how to sign in on your Smart TV or to find out if your Smart TV is compatible, visit our help page. There is no lock-in contract when you subscribe to a Streaming Subscription. Renewals occur automatically unless cancelled as per full Terms and Conditions . The Streaming Subscription is not available outside of Australia. If overseas (excluding New Zealand), you can access your favourite Sky News Australia programs by signing up to Australia Channel. Sky News Australia's international 24/7 news streaming service. Find out more here. You can continue to access digital-only content, video highlights, and listen to the latest podcasts without a subscription on our website and app. The Streaming Subscription gives subscribers live stream access to unrivalled news and opinion content across four dedicated news channels 24/7.

Mushroom cook due back in court
Mushroom cook due back in court

Sky News AU

time2 days ago

  • Sky News AU

Mushroom cook due back in court

Ooops, an error has occurred! Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we'll help resolve the issue or try again later. The Streaming Subscription provides Australians access to top rating opinion shows, award-winning political coverage, live breaking news, sport and weather, expert business insights and groundbreaking documentaries across four dedicated news channels for $5 a month. This includes: Sky News – Australia's news channel featuring award-winning journalists, insights from the biggest names in opinion, ground-breaking special investigations, and live breaking news, sport and weather. Available live and on-demand. Sky News Extra – A dedicated 24/7 channel featuring live press conferences and Parliament broadcasts, with unfiltered access to Australian democracy in action. Available live. Sky News Weather – Australia's only 24/7 weather channel bringing you the latest weather forecasts from the country's largest team of meteorologists. Available live. FOX SPORTS News – Australia's only 24/7 sports news channel, first and live in breaking sports news. Available live. Stream Sky News channel shows in full live and on-demand on or the Sky News Australia app and cast to your compatible TV. For the best streaming experience, stream your favourite Sky News shows on your compatible Smart TV. For a step-by-step guide on how to sign in on your Smart TV or to find out if your Smart TV is compatible, visit our help page. There is no lock-in contract when you subscribe to a Streaming Subscription. Renewals occur automatically unless cancelled as per full Terms and Conditions . The Streaming Subscription is not available outside of Australia. If overseas (excluding New Zealand), you can access your favourite Sky News Australia programs by signing up to Australia Channel. Sky News Australia's international 24/7 news streaming service. Find out more here. You can continue to access digital-only content, video highlights, and listen to the latest podcasts without a subscription on our website and app. The Streaming Subscription gives subscribers live stream access to unrivalled news and opinion content across four dedicated news channels 24/7.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store