Western NSW residents shake through 5.2 magnitude earthquake

An earthquake has shaken parts of western NSW in the early hours of Saturday morning, but some are reporting the event could be felt hours away from the epicentre.

Geoscience Australia confirmed a magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck just after 2.30am in a remote part of Orana region, about 160 kilometres southeast of Bourke.

The initial quake was followed seven minutes later by a magnitude 4.2 aftershock and another magnitude 3.6 tremor was also felt around 5.30am.

The shocks continued throughout the day with a magnitude 3.0 at 11.46am and magnitude 3.5 at 1.03pm.

Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Phil Cummins said any aftershocks felt in the NSW region is following a normal pattern.

“As far as we can tell this is all part of a normal aftershock sequence and therefore expect the earthquakes to decrease in frequency and magnitude,” he said.

The senior seismologist said a number of people in western NSW are feeling the effects of the shock.

“It was widely felt, getting over 260 reports, ranging as far as Orange and Dubbo,” he said

While Australia sits in the middle of a tectonic plate, meaning it is less likely to get an earthquake, the continent can still experience earthquakes.

Local residents took to the Geoscience Australia Facebook page to discuss the impact of the earthquake.

One person living in Forbes said they “felt my floor vibrate last night twice about 10 minutes apart, though there was something under my house.”

A second person said “my dogs woke me up whining and my daughter was awake and felt the bed shake in Coonamble after a house rattle beforehand.”

While another reported saying they “felt nothing in Narromine, slept straight through it.”

A fourth person working in the mines also reported that they did not feel the shock.

“Working underground at Peak Gold Mines Cobar last night l didn’t fill a thing or ground movements.”

Any members of the public who feel the impact of an earthquake are encouraged to lodge a felt report at Geoscience Australia.