WELLINGTON: A powerful 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of New Zealand’s South Island on Tuesday, prompting authorities to assess any potential tsunami risks.
The National Emergency Management Agency warned residents in the Southland and Fiordland regions to avoid beaches and coastal areas due to the possibility of strong and unpredictable currents.
According to Geonet, the government’s seismic monitoring service, over 4,700 people reported feeling the quake. Local media described buildings shaking and objects falling from shelves. One resident shared on Facebook, as reported by the New Zealand Herald, that their outdoor furniture moved due to the tremors.
Geonet initially recorded the earthquake at a depth of 33 kilometers (21 miles), approximately 160 kilometers northwest of the Snares Islands, which are the northernmost of New Zealand’s subantarctic islands. However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) initially estimated the quake at magnitude 7 before revising it down, also noting a shallower depth of about 10 kilometers (6 miles).
Australia’s national weather agency confirmed that the earthquake posed no tsunami threat to the mainland, nearby islands, or territories.
New Zealand is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a tectonically active zone known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
