EARLIER

Did you feel the earth move last night?

Geoscience Australia recorded two small earthquakes about five kilometres east of Cessnock on Tuesday.

A magnitude 3.1 quake occurred at 9.55pm with a magnitude 3.0 one minute later.

It is estimated that the quakes could have been felt up to 25 kilometres away.

It follows a 2.5 magnitude earthquake that struck in the Heaton State Forest (20 kilometres west of Cessnock) on August 1.

Geoscience Australia duty seismologist Eddie Leask said the area has a history of seismic activity, with more than 80 earthquakes been recorded in the Hunter in the past 30 years.

He said while no robust method of predicting earthquakes has been devised, having two events so close together could increase the chances of more earthquakes happening in the area.

He advised residents to take safety precautions, like with any natural disaster, by preparing an emergency kit with a torch and batteries and using the 'drop, cover and hold' procedure (drop to the ground, take cover under a table or sturdy object and hold it until the shaking stops).

Geoscience Australia monitors seismic data from more than 60 stations on the Australian National Seismograph Network, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.