‘One big jolt’: Details emerge after shock Sydney earthquake

Details have begun to emerge after a rare 3.6 magnitude earthquake struck western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, amid concerns for damage to Warragamba Dam.

Details have begun to emerge after a rare 3.6 magnitude earthquake struck western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, as locals reveal how the tremors first hit their homes.

The shallow quake hit Penrith, Cranebrook and towns across the Blue Mountains on Friday at 8.53pm.

Some 2,000 people reported the earthquake after feeling tremors, with one local describing the moment it struck his house.

Justin Hale, who lives in Leura, told the ABC dogs could be heard barking a few minutes beforehand.

“It sounded like a convoy of semi-trailers coming down the road from the north and then by the time it got close to us, I realised, that’s not semi-trailers, and that’s when it hit,” Mr Hale said.

Maps show tremors were felt as far away as Newcastle and Dapto. Picture: United States Geological Survey

“This earthquake was one big jolt … my computer monitor at the time rocked back and forth, and I thought it was actually going to fall face-first onto the table.

“That’s how big it was. But it wasn’t sustained, it was one big jolt and then it just rolled off.”

According to the United States Geological Survey, tremors could be felt as far away as Dapto, Wollongong, Newcastle and the Central Coast.

Geoscience Australia reported the earthquake occured 8.5 kilometres beneath the surface in the Blue Mountains National Park near Warragamba.

The epicentre of the earthquake is located in the Blue Mountains. Picture: United States Geological Survey

Good evening, #Sydney! Did you feel that? We've detected a 3.6 magnitude #earthquake near #Penrith. Nearly 2,000 people have already lodged a report for us via Earthquakes@GA. You can lodge one here: https://t.co/2NhYJC099dpic.twitter.com/lxiPa2BPG6

— Geoscience Australia (@GeoscienceAus) March 8, 2024

“Quite a bit here in Katoomba. The entire house was shaking for some time, it was loud & a bit intense,” one local posted to X (formerly known as Twitter).

“That’s what it was! I thought something really big had hit the roof. My cats were freaked out,” a Penrith resident commented.

In the aftermath of the quake, concerns were raised about potential structural damage to the nearby Warragamba Dam - which supplies water to more than five million people in the Greater Sydney region.

Warragamba Dam is Australia’s largest domestic water supply and the primary resoivor for Sydney. Picture: Supplied.

However in a statement released on Saturday morning, WaterNSW confirmed there was “no safety risk resulting from the seismic event in the Blue Mountains overnight”.

“Precautionary inspections continue this morning, but the seismic activity was well below the threshold that would pose any threat to WaterNSW dam infrastructure,” the sattement read.

“Dams such as Warragamba are designed to withstand major seismic events, and the most extreme weather conditions.”

It comes after Fire and Rescue NSW (RFNSW) acting superintendent Mat Sigmund confirmed firefighters received a handful of triple zero calls and responded to two locations.

“One was a single-level home and Glenmore Park where there was some structural collapse to a roof and roof tiles,” Mr Sigmund said.

One local described the earthquake as a "big jolt". Picture: NSW RFS/X

how it feels seeing posts about the western sydney earthquake but you were in the shower and felt nothing pic.twitter.com/TkyeRJIXyQ

— Kong Monke (@Kong_The_Monke) March 8, 2024

“And the second location was to a four-level unit block in Kingswood where there was some cracking to a wall.

“On both occasions our firefighters weren’t required to take any action, there was no evacuations required and no injuries on site with a risk of further structural collapse.”

While residents experienced strong tremors near the epicentre of the quake, other Sydneysiders took to social media to vent about “missing out” on the event.

“Feeling so left out right now by not feeling that Sydney earthquake omg,” one frustrated local posted to X.

“Getting fomo because I didn’t feel the Sydney earthquake,” another local replied.