Victoria checks for damage after strong quake

Residents of Victoria are checking for damage to their properties after a magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck late Monday, the strongest to hit Australia’s second- most populous state in 30 years.

There have been 20 reports of limited damage, the State Emergency Service said on its website. More reports of damage are expected today, it said.

The temblor struck shortly before 9 p.m. local time, 6.2 miles southwest of Moe in Victoria’s southeast, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake, which lasted for about 30 seconds, rattled windows and shook floors in the state capital Melbourne, about 130 kilometers away.

The damage has mostly been minor cracks in walls, while stock fell off shelves in some stores, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported, citing the SES. About 850 calls were made to emergency services in the first hour after the quake, according to the report.