https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-23/magnitude-4-7-earthquake-felt-across-nsw/...Magnitude 4.7 earthquake in NSW centred close to site of proposed nuclear power plant
ABC News
Friday 23 August
A map of NSW showing the locations where an earthquake was felt.
More than 2,000 people have reported feeling the earthquake.
In short:
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has been felt by thousands in NSW.
The epicentre was near Muswellbrook but tremors were felt by residents in places as far away as Coffs Harbour, Sydney and Canberra.
What's next?
Some residents have lost power and emergency services are dealing with minor infrastructure damage.
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has rattled New South Wales close to the proposed site of a nuclear power plant.
The quake – initially identified as a magnitude 5.0 before being downgraded twice – hit just before midday near Muswellbrook in the Upper Hunter Valley, 250 kilometres north-west of Sydney.
More than 2,500 people reported feeling the quake to Geoscience Australia from as far away as Coffs Harbour, Sydney and Canberra.
Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Hadi Ghasemi said most reports were centred in the Hunter Valley.
"We have had one report that stuff fell off the shelves and that kind of thing, and the screen door came off," he said.
"Closer areas to the epicentre, we are receiving, you know, moderate to light level of ground-shaking."
The quake shook bricks from buildings.
The epicentre of the quake was near the Liddell Power Station where the Coalition has plans for a nuclear plant.
Speaking to the ABC, Shadow Energy Minister Ted O'Brien said should an earthquake risk be identified in the Upper Hunter in a nuclear feasibility study, then plans for nuclear power in the Hunter Valley would be abandoned.
"If there is a feasibility study done and that comes back with advice that says any power plant should not proceed, then a power plant would not proceed full stop," he said.
Two turbines stand tall at the Liddell power station on a clear day with blue skies.
The Coalition has proposed building a nuclear power plant at the site of the Liddell power station, which was close to the epicentre of an earthquake on Friday.
Minor damage only
Deputy Northern Zone Commander for the New South Wales State Emergency Service Peter Keegan said crews responded to reports of minor infrastructure damage after receiving 11 calls about the quake.
"There had been a number of reports of damage in the Muswellbrook area — broken windows, and a chimney damaged in the Maitland area," he said.
"We've had no reports of any injury at all, just a couple reports of minor damage in the Upper Hunter."
In a statement, NSW Police confirmed the damage was limited but called on dam owners to check for any structural issues.
"Dam owners in the region are urged to ensure that dam integrity has not been affected," police said.
The epicentre is also near BHP's Mount Arthur Coal Mine, which has a large tailings dam where work was stopped following the quake.
A BHP spokesperson told the ABC some of its workers were injured.
"A few team members at Mt Arthur Coal required first aid for minor injuries from falling items — thankfully no one was seriously hurt," the spokesperson said.
"All areas at the site are [being inspected] before we safely restart operations.
"From our inspections [so far] there are no issues with our tailings dam. We will continue to monitor all active work areas including tailings dams as per our planned inspection regime."
Hunter Water said it had checked its water storage dams.
On July 17 the water authority said it was taking "immediate action to reduce storage at Grahamstown to 90 per cent capacity" in response to a comprehensive risk assessment that found it could be compromised in the unlikely event of an earthquake.
It said visual inspections were carried out of the Grahamstown and Chichester Dams on Friday and there was no sign of damage at either site.
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