Earthquake hits South Africa

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit central South Africa today, shaking buildings in Johannesburg and surrounding areas.

The US Geological Survey said the tremor was centred in Orkney, 170 km southwest of Johannesburg, an area with a high concentration of deep gold mines. Lindy Sirayi, a guesthouse owner in Orkney, said the tremor broke glass lampshades and cracked a wall, and that dogs started barking during the quake, which lasted about a minute.

She said she received a telephone call informing her that two people were injured at a nearby mine. The quake was also felt in Pretoria, the South African capital, and Hartbeespoort, a nearby resort town. The area has periodic, moderate tremors, though the quake on Tuesday was one of the strongest in recent years. There are no immediate reports of casualties.