Muswellbrook and the Upper Hunter have been shaken by a moderate earthquake that has taken more than 2,500 homes and businesses off the power grid.
The quake, which registered a magnitude of 4.1 according to Geoscience Australia, struck at 12.12pm at a depth of 3 km.
Hundreds of people reported feeling the tremor, however at this stage there are no reports of injury or serious damage.
Tuesday’s quake follows a larger one on August 23 that reached a magnitude of 4.7. There have been more than 50 minor earthquakes in the region in the three months since.
Seismologists said the ongoing instability was part of what is known as an earthquake “swarm,” rather than an aftershock.
They warned the activity could continue for months, and possibly years.
The latest earthquake comes days after Muswellbrook Shire Council lashed out at the NSW Reconstruction Authority for refusing to classify the August quake as a natural disaster, leaving people affected by the incident ineligible for government assistance and, in many cases, unable to claim building damage against their insurance policies.
Mayor Jeff Drayton said at the time that there was “a lot of damage”.
“How big does a disaster have to be (to qualify)?” he asked.
“Many residents, who pay their premiums in good faith, have had their insurance claims rejected outright or classified as existing damage. It seems incredible that not one insurance claim in the wake of the earthquakes has been successful.”
The shire is now conducting a residents’ survey to “better understand the impact and extent of earthquake-related damage suffered by the community and the outcome of any insurance claims”.
Submissions to the survey closed on Sunday.
