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New Zealand earthquake: Powerful tremor hits South Island | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A powerful earthquake has struck New Zealand's South Island. | |
The US Geological Survey said the magnitude-7.4 quake hit just after midnight (11:02 GMT on Sunday), some 95km (59 miles) from Christchurch. | |
Christchurch is still recovering from the 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people and destroyed the city centre. | Christchurch is still recovering from the 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people and destroyed the city centre. |
New Zealand lies on the notorious Ring of Fire, the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim. | New Zealand lies on the notorious Ring of Fire, the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim. |
The Herald newspaper said the tremor was felt all the way to Wellington, where sirens sounded and people fled buildings into the streets, some of them crying. | |
Early reports suggest some houses in Cheviot town, near the epicentre, have been damaged. | |
A resident of Christchurch said the tremor lasted a "long" time. | |
"We were asleep and woken to the house shaking, it kept going and going and felt like it was going to build up," she told AFP news agency. | |
A magnitude-7.1 quake struck 169km (105 miles) north-east of Gisborne on the North Island in September, sparking a tsunami warning. It caused some damage to property, but no injuries. |