Residents in the Hunter region of New South Wales have been shaken by an earthquake of magnitude 3.4.

At 5:18 a.m. on Tuesday, the earthquake occurred 2 km below the Bulga open-cut coal mine, 15 km southwest of Singleton.

As residents of Singleton and the neighboring town of Broke awoke to the early morning tremors, up to 21 felt reports were documented.

It is the most recent of several comparable earthquakes that have occurred in the area in recent months.

Last year, between August and November, 50 shakes were recorded.

The largest earthquake to strike portions of the NSW Hunter region in fifty years was one of August’s tremors.

At 12:02 p.m., a 5.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the hamlet of Denman, sparking speculation that nearby coal mining was to blame.

“It’s a little smaller than the Newcastle earthquake, and there was another one 5.3 (magnitude) in 1994,” UNSW geophysicist Stuart Clark said of the event.

“The cause is compressional forces across the continent but the trigger is potentially coal mining.”

After Tuesday’s earthquake, local federal MP Dan Repacholi encouraged citizens who were having trouble with their insurance to get assistance.

“Another earthquake for the Hunter this morning. 3.4 magnitude at around 5:20am,” he posted online.

“Right near the Bulga and Mount Thorley Warkworth mines. If anyone has any issue with insurance claims, make sure you reach out.”