Wellington: Strong earthquake tremors were felt in New Zealand. It struck on Wednesday morning, with a magnitude of 6.0, according to government seismic monitor Geonet. The epicenter was said to be near Geraldine in the South Island. According to media reports, The earthquake struck at 9.14 am at a depth of 11 km (7 mi). Gionet said more than 14,000 people felt the shock, and people ran outside to save themselves, leaving their homes. Its tremors were also felt in Auckland, North Island. However, the good news is that there was no loss of life or property.
Sarah Hussey, a farmer near the epicenter, said the earthquake was more powerful than other earthquakes. “There is no harm here,” he told TVNZ’s 1News. Scott Shannon, deputy mayor of Timaru, which is near the epicenter, told Radio NZ there were no immediate reports of damage but investigations were ongoing.
The earthquake was not far from the site of a magnitude 6.3 quake in 2011 that killed 185 people and caused major damage in the South Island city of Christchurch. Let us tell you that New Zealand is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide and often experiences seismic and volcanic activity. The country, which is home to 5 million people, is sometimes called the Unstable Island due to the number of earthquakes.
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First published: September 20, 2023, 11:03 IST