A 5.0-magnitude earthquake struck Australia's major gold-mining region on Tuesday, leading to the evacuation of mines, schools and hospitals. The quake hit at 8:17 a.m. local time (0017 GMT) about six miles (10 kilometres) southwest of the town of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, according to Geoscience Australia. There were no immediate reports of serious injuries, but roofs fell in hospitals and other buildings. One street was cordoned off where several hotels were damaged and balconies had fallen off.
In a town that often feels the rumblings of mine explosions, some residents told local radio that they feared their homes might collapse in the quake. Geoscience Australia seismologists said the quake was fairly shallow and would have been felt several hundred kilometres away. All mines in the immediate area were evacuated and all miners accounted for, union officials told local media. More than 50 mines operate in Kalgoorlie, 370 miles (595 kilometres) east of the Western Australia state capital of Perth.
