A third earthquake has struck off New Zealand, with authorities urging people to move immediately to higher ground.
An 8.0-magnitude quake struck just before 9am (7am AEDT) on Friday near the Kermadec Islands, with the National Emergency Management Authority asking people near the east coast of the North Island to move.
People in Northland, the East Cape and on Great Barrier Island needed to “move immediately” to higher ground or as far inland as possible, the authority said.
The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre said on Friday morning there was a potential tsunami threat to Norfolk Island.
The 8.0-magnitude quake followed earlier 7.4 and 7.1-magnitude quakes.
“People near the coast in the following areas must move immediately to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible. DO NOT STAY AT HOME,” NEMA said on Twitter.
“The earthquake may not have been felt in some of these areas but evacuation should be immediate as a damaging tsunami is possible,” it added.
There was no tsunami threat to other areas of New Zealand.
The 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck earlier off the east of North Island was felt by more than 60,000 people across the country with many describing the shaking as “severe”.
Aftershocks were still being recorded in the area.
There were no immediate reports of damage from either earthquake.
“Hope everyone is ok out there – especially on the East Coast who would have felt the full force of that earthquake,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern posted on Instagram.
