WELLINGTON: A powerful 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off New Zealand’s South Island on Tuesday (Mar 25), authorities mentioned, because the nation’s catastrophe company assessed if there have been any tsunami threats.
Residents of the Southland and Fiordland areas ought to steer clear of seashores and marine areas as robust and weird currents could current a hazard, the Nationwide Emergency Administration Company mentioned.
Greater than 4,700 individuals felt the quake, in line with authorities seismic monitor Geonet, as New Zealand media reported objects falling and buildings swaying.
The Nationwide Emergency Administration Company mentioned in an replace at about 3.30pm native time that no “land risk” was anticipated however that it was nonetheless assessing the quake.
These in coastal areas ought to comply with the “lengthy or robust, get gone” steerage.
“Folks must be self-evacuating instantly from all locations close to the coast the place the earthquake was felt both for longer than a minute or was robust sufficient that it was arduous to face,” it mentioned in an advisory on its web site.
“We had issues fall off shelf. The outside wood desk dancing,” a person posted on Fb, in line with the New Zealand Herald newspaper.
Ben Sievwright, supervisor of Ziff’s Cafe and Bar in Invercargill on the South Island, mentioned he felt “a little bit sway”.
“Just a bit wee shake, nothing too eventful,” he informed AFP.
The quake was reported at a depth of 33km about 160km north-west of Snares Islands, the northernmost of New Zealand’s sub-antarctic islands, Geonet mentioned.
The USA Geological Survey mentioned the quake, which was downgraded from an earlier magnitude of seven, occurred at a depth of about 10km.
Australia’s nationwide climate bureau mentioned there was no tsunami risk to the mainland, islands or territories.
New Zealand straddles the boundary of two main tectonic plates and is rattled by 1000’s of small earthquakes yearly.
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake levelled swathes of Christchurch in 2011, killing 185 individuals, in line with authorities figures.
