A 5.0-magnitude earthquake struck Australia’s major gold-mining region in the west on Tuesday, collapsing roofs of several buildings and prompting the evacuation of mines, schools and hospitals.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The quake hit at 8:17 a.m. (local time) about six miles southwest of the town of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, according to Geoscience Australia.
Roofs fell in hospitals and other buildings, and balconies fell off some hotels.
Geoscience Australia seismologist David Jepsen said the quake was fairly shallow and would have been felt several hundred kilometers away.
“This is the largest event in the last 25 years in this region, and it might be the largest since we started recording,” Mr. Jepsen said.
All mines were evacuated and all miners accounted for, Paul Howes of the Australian Workers Union told Sky News Australia .
“We’ll make sure no mines are opened until all the safety checks are done,” Mr. Howes said.
