A shallow, powerful earthquake struck off the north-eastern coast of New Zealand on Friday morning, with officials warning of a possible tsunami threat.
There were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties, but the National Emergency Management Agency issued an official tsunami warning, advising people in coastal areas to move immediately to high ground.
Tsunami waves were possible within 300 kilometres of the quake’s epicentre, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said.
The quake measured a preliminary 6.9 magnitude and was centred at a depth of 10 kilometres about 178 kilometres north-east of Gisborne, the US Geological Survey said.
New Zealand government’s seismic monitor, Geonet, pegged the quake at a magnitude of 7.2 with a depth of 94 kilometres.
New Zealand government’s seismic monitor, Geonet, pegged the quake at a magnitude of 7.2.Credit:
More than 60,000 people reported feeling the quake on GeoNet’s website, with 282 people describing the shaking as “severe” and 75 saying it was “extreme”. Most others described it as light.
The closest major city to the epicentre is Gisborne with a population of about 35,500 residents. People near the coast from Cape Runaway to Tolaga Bay were told to evacuate.
