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New Zealand earthquake: Two dead following powerful tremor | New Zealand earthquake: Two dead following powerful tremor |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two people have died after a powerful magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck New Zealand's South Island. | Two people have died after a powerful magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck New Zealand's South Island. |
Prime Minister John Key said further details were not yet known. | Prime Minister John Key said further details were not yet known. |
The US Geological Survey said it hit just after midnight (11:02 GMT on Sunday), some 95km (59 miles) from Christchurch. | The US Geological Survey said it hit just after midnight (11:02 GMT on Sunday), some 95km (59 miles) from Christchurch. |
A tsunami arrived about two hours later. Officials warned everyone along the eastern coast to head inland or for higher ground. | A tsunami arrived about two hours later. Officials warned everyone along the eastern coast to head inland or for higher ground. |
Terrifying | Terrifying |
A gauge at Kaikoura, 181 km (112 miles) north of Christchurch, measured a wave of 2.5m (8ft 2ins) in the early hours of the morning, according to Weatherwatch.co.nz. | A gauge at Kaikoura, 181 km (112 miles) north of Christchurch, measured a wave of 2.5m (8ft 2ins) in the early hours of the morning, according to Weatherwatch.co.nz. |
At one point, the ministry of civil defence suggested tsunami waves as tall as 5m could hit the eastern coast | At one point, the ministry of civil defence suggested tsunami waves as tall as 5m could hit the eastern coast |
But by just after 08:00 local time (19:00 GMT), the warning was scaled back to a "marine and beach threat" with waves of just one metre along a small stretch of coast, including the Chatham Islands, an archipelago 423 miles (680km) south-east of the mainland. | |
Speaking to reporters in the capital Wellington on Monday morning, Mr Key said they had had very little communication from the most affected areas, like Kaikoura and Culverden inland. | |
"We don't have any indications at the moment to believe [the death toll] will rise, but we can't rule that out," Mr Key said, adding that a military helicopter was being dispatched to Kaikoura. | |
Aerial images show tunnels along the coastal highway close to Kaikoura, a popular tourist destination, covered by a landslide. Other pictures of the devastated area show at least one collapsed home. | |
St John's Ambulance had also sent medical assistance to the area. | St John's Ambulance had also sent medical assistance to the area. |
"We are starting to get reports of injuries from the earthquake area, including Culverden area and Kaikoura," St John's Ambulance Dion Rosario said in a statement released a few hours after the earthquake struck. | "We are starting to get reports of injuries from the earthquake area, including Culverden area and Kaikoura," St John's Ambulance Dion Rosario said in a statement released a few hours after the earthquake struck. |
"However, at this stage we do not have specifics." | "However, at this stage we do not have specifics." |
New Zealanders are used to earthquakes. The country lies on the notorious Ring of Fire, the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim. | New Zealanders are used to earthquakes. The country lies on the notorious Ring of Fire, the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim. |
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. |
Early reports suggested some houses in Cheviot town, near the epicentre, have been damaged. | Early reports suggested some houses in Cheviot town, near the epicentre, have been damaged. |
But Chris Hill, a fire officer in Cheviot, said officials had gone door to door evacuating residents and found "everyone seems okay". | But Chris Hill, a fire officer in Cheviot, said officials had gone door to door evacuating residents and found "everyone seems okay". |
He told RadioNZ: "There's a lot of debris in houses, but at this stage it doesn't look like anything too bad has happened." | He told RadioNZ: "There's a lot of debris in houses, but at this stage it doesn't look like anything too bad has happened." |
A resident of Christchurch said the tremor lasted a "long" time. | 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. | "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. |
On Twitter, Hayley Colgan described it as "the most terrifying earthquake I think I've felt in my 23 years in New Zealand". | On Twitter, Hayley Colgan described it as "the most terrifying earthquake I think I've felt in my 23 years in New Zealand". |
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. | 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. |
Are you in New Zealand? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience of the earthquake. | Are you in New Zealand? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience of the earthquake. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |