4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes New South Wales, Causing Damage and Evacuations

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake has shaken parts of New South Wales, leading to evacuations in schools and damage to homes. The epicenter of the quake was located near the mining town of Denman, approximately 250 kilometers north of Sydney, occurring at a depth of 10 kilometers just after 12 PM.

There have been no reports of serious injuries at the nearby BHP Mt Arthur Coal mine. A company spokesperson stated that a few miners sustained minor injuries from falling objects, but no one was seriously hurt. The mining areas within the impacted site are currently being inspected before workers can safely return.

The quake was initially reported as a magnitude 5.0 but was later revised to 4.8. Dr. Hadi Ghasemi from Geoscience Australia confirmed that several aftershocks were recorded, with the largest being a magnitude 2.9 at 12:15 PM. He explained that the earthquake was caused by the slow buildup of stress from the Australian plate moving to the northeast at a rate of 7 centimeters per year.

Over 2,000 individuals reported feeling the tremors, which affected areas from Dubbo, Muswellbrook, and Newcastle to Port Macquarie, and even reached parts of Sydney, including Mt Druitt, the CBD, North Ryde, Kogarah, Vaucluse, and Revesby. Reports indicated that the quake was also felt in the Blue Mountains, including towns such as Lithgow, Blackheath, and Katoomba, as well as in Picton, located west of Sydney.

In response to the earthquake, Muswellbrook South Public School notified parents that students had been safely evacuated to the top oval while awaiting further instructions. Similarly, St James Primary School communicated that the facility had lost power and urged parents to collect their children.

Various incidents of damage were reported, including roof panels falling at a local Aldi store and stock being displaced at a nearby Mitre 10 hardware store. The State Emergency Service (SES) in Muswellbrook stated that windows were shattered at the council depot and multiple homes experienced minor damage, including collapsed chimneys.

As of now, more than 2,500 customers in Muswellbrook, Denman, Jerrys Plains, Bureen, and Bengalla have reported power outages to Ausgrid following the earthquake.

The earthquake is the largest to hit the area in 20 years, with reports indicating that it caused windows to blow in and a chimney to topple in Maitland. The SES has received 21 calls regarding minor infrastructure damages within two hours following the quake.

Dr. Hadi Ghasemi remarked that the fault lines near mining areas can sometimes increase the likelihood of earthquakes, stating that there have been more than 150 seismic events in the area over the past two decades, with today’s quake being the most significant.

The Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed that there is no tsunami threat related to the earthquake.