Thousands of people have reported an early morning earthquake that rocked Melbourne and was felt as far away as Tasmania.

The 4.3 magnitude quake’s epicentre was near the regional Victorian town of Leongatha, 135 kilometres south-east of Melbourne.

It struck at a depth of eight kilometres while most people would have been asleep at 12.49am.

In an uncanny coincidence, another city named Melbourne, in Florida US, was also shaken by a “rare” earthquake off its coast.

GeoScience Australia said more than 4500 people reported experiencing movement very early on Friday.

“There’s been a 4.3 mag earthquake near Leongatha in Victoria,” wrote GoeScience Australia on social media platform X after 1am.

“It’s been felt from as far north as Sunbury in Melbourne to Wilsons Promontory National Park in the south.”

The Bureau of Meteorology said there was no tsunami threat from the earthquake.

Victorian resident Claire Isabel said it was the second earthquake for her in the past few days.

On Wednesday, GeoScience Australia reported a 3.3 magnitude earthquake near Foster at a depth of two kilometres.

That seismic activity received just 82 “felt reports”.

‘This is wild’

On the other side of the world another city named Melbourne, in Florida US, was also reporting a “rare” earthquake.

That 4.0 magnitude quake struck off Florida’s Cape Canaveral at 10.48pm Wednesday local time.

People in cities along the state’s Space Coast – including the city of Melbourne – said they felt the tremors.

The internet lit up as people from both Melbournes shared their experiences and clarified that they were talking about different earthquakes.

Tweet from @TheMuSinger

“This is bizzare. I am in Melbourne, Australia, and we also just felt an earthquake, 4.6 magnitude,” wrote @TheMuSinger on X in response to a report from the US.

“Don’t be confused therefore if you get Australians responding to this also!”

One Victorian Melburnian said the rumbling in his city seemed to be turning into a common occurrence.

“I remember an earthquake in Melbourne when I was about 3, then another one when I was about 33 … now it’s like every couple of months!” wrote @mghardiman on X.

GeoScience Australia’s database has recorded 70 earthquakes in Victoria since January 2022.