SYDNEY/MELBOURNE (Reuters) -A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near Melbourne on Wednesday, Geoscience Australia said, one of the country’s biggest quakes on record, causing damage to buildings in the country’s second largest city and sending tremors throughout neighbouring states.

The earthquake’s epicenter was in Mansfield, Victoria state, approximately 200 km (124 mi) northeast of Melbourne. It reached a depth (10 km (6 miles). Aftershock rating: 4.0

Photos and videos showing rubble blocking Melbourne’s main street were shared on social media. Some people claimed they lost power while others reported that their homes had been evacuated.

While the earthquake was felt 800km (500 miles) away in South Australia state and Sydney 600km (600 miles north) in New South Wales, there weren’t any reports about damage or injuries.

The southeast region of Australia, which stretches from Adelaide through Melbourne to Sydney is home to more than half the nation’s 25million inhabitants.

Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister of Australia, told journalists in Washington that no serious injuries have been reported.

An earthquake of this type can cause serious damage and it could be extremely disturbing. It is a rare event in Australia so people wouldn’t have been as upset.

Geoscience Australia reports that earthquakes are quite rare in Australia’s densely populated east because of its location in the centre of the Indo-Australian-Tectonic Plate. On Wednesday, the quake measured more than 13 people were killed by the nation’s worst tremor in 1989 in Newcastle, which was a magnitude 5.6.

Mark Holcombe was the mayor of Mansfield.

Holcombe explained to the ABC that “I’ve been through earthquakes in other countries and this one seemed to last longer than my previous experiences.” The loudness of the earthquake was another thing I was surprised by. There was an audible rumbling sound like a large truck driving past.

Although he knew there was no significant damage at the epicenter of the earthquake, some people reported difficulties with their telecommunications.

According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, no tsunami threat had been issued for the Australian islands and territories.

There was a possibility of disruption to anti-lockdown protests, expected in Melbourne Wednesday. It would be the third day that unrest has escalated in intensity and police response.