A 3.4 magnitude earthquake has rocked residents in NSW’s Hunter region.
The quake struck at 5.18am on Tuesday at a depth of 2km, directly below the Bulga open cut coal mine.
Up to 21 felt reports have been recorded in the country towns of Singleton and Broke as locals woke to the early morning tremors.
It’s understood the earthquake’s epicentre hit some 15km south of Singleton.
The event follows similar earthquakes recorded in recent months.
The region was shook by seismic activity with 50 shakes recorded between August and November last year.
One of August’s tremor was the biggest earthquake to hit parts of the NSW Hunter region in 50 years.
The 5.0-magnitude quake shook the town of Denman at 12.02pm and prompted theories coal mining in the region was causing the activity.
A 3.4 magnitude earthquake has rocked residents in NSW’s Hunter region
The quake struck at 5.18am on Tuesday at a depth of 4km
‘It’s a little smaller than the Newcastle earthquake, and there was another one 5.3 (magnitude) in 1994,’ UNSW geophysicist Stuart Clark said of the event.
‘The cause is compressional forces across the continent but the trigger is potentially coal mining.’
Local federal MP Dan Repacholi urged residents struggling with ongoing insurance issues to seek help following Tuesday’s earthquake.
‘Another earthquake for the Hunter this morning. 3.4 magnitude at around 5:20am,’ he posted online.
‘Right near the Bulga and Mount Thorley Warkworth mines. If anyone has any issue with insurance claims, make sure you reach out.’
