Australia: Magnitude-4.4 earthquake occurs in eastern New South Wales at around 16:31 Aug. 24

A magnitude-4.4 earthquake occurred in eastern New South Wales at around 16:31 Aug. 24. The epicenter was about 179 km (111 miles) north-northwest of Sydney. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 9 km (6 miles), and weak shaking was probably felt in parts of eastern New South Wales. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are possible over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.