A mild to moderate earthquake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale was felt in the south-western region of Sydney, Australia, causing intense panic among local residents and shaking numerous homes.
According to Geoscience Australia, the tremor struck at 1:07 PM on Friday. The epicenter was located near the Appin area of Sydney, which is situated 16 kilometers south of Campbelltown and 35 kilometers north-west of Wollongong.
The hypocenter of the earthquake was at a depth of only 3 kilometers beneath the Earth's surface. Because of the shallow hypocenter, it was felt clearly up to a distance of about 80 kilometers from the center. Aside from the epicenter, tremors were also reported from Sydney's North Shore, Penrith, Hornsby, and the Wollongong area of the South Coast.
7News reported that the moment of the earthquake was captured on the CCTV camera of a resident in Menangle Park, showing the entire house shaking suddenly. Describing that moment, local resident Emma Brown said, "Suddenly with a loud noise, my black Labrador dog 'Charlie' stood straight up. He looked at me, and I looked at him thinking—what was that? Right then I realized, oh my God! That was an earthquake!"
Although the duration of the earthquake was only a few seconds, many residents reported that it suddenly felt like a large vehicle or something heavy had crashed into their homes. The reassuring part is that no major damage or casualties have been reported from this earthquake so far. However, as the Appin and Douglas Park areas are prone to seismic activity, the local administration is monitoring the situation and has instructed residents to remain cautious.
