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| New Zealand earthquake: Tsunami arrives after powerful tremor hits | New Zealand earthquake: Tsunami arrives after powerful tremor hits |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A tsunami has hit after an earthquake struck New Zealand's South Island. | A tsunami has hit after an earthquake struck New Zealand's South Island. |
| The US Geological Survey said the magnitude-7.8 quake hit just after midnight (11:02 GMT on Sunday), some 95km (59 miles) from Christchurch. | The US Geological Survey said the magnitude-7.8 quake hit just after midnight (11:02 GMT on Sunday), some 95km (59 miles) from Christchurch. |
| The tsunami arrived in the north-eastern coast about two hours later. Officials said the first waves may not be the largest, with tsunami activity possible for several hours. | The tsunami arrived in the north-eastern coast about two hours later. Officials said the first waves may not be the largest, with tsunami activity possible for several hours. |
| Residents were warned to head inland or for higher ground along the coast. | Residents were warned to head inland or for higher ground along the coast. |
| A gauge at Kaikoura, 181 km (112 miles) north of Christchurch, measured a wave of two metres (6ft 5ins), according to Weatherwatch.co.nz. | A gauge at Kaikoura, 181 km (112 miles) north of Christchurch, measured a wave of two metres (6ft 5ins), according to Weatherwatch.co.nz. |
| Smaller waves are said to be arriving in Wellington and other areas, the website said. | Smaller waves are said to be arriving in Wellington and other areas, the website said. |
| Terrifying | Terrifying |
| Residents in the Chatham Islands, an archipelago 423 miles (680km) south-east of the mainland, were also being warned a wave would hit imminently by the civil defence. | Residents in the Chatham Islands, an archipelago 423 miles (680km) south-east of the mainland, were also being warned a wave would hit imminently by the civil defence. |
| Thousands of people have already evacuated their homes as aftershocks continue to hit the area, Radio New Zealand reported. | |
| Others have taken to social media to offer people a safe bed for the night. | Others have taken to social media to offer people a safe bed for the night. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. | 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 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." |
| New Zealand's GeoNet suggests the earthquake may have been only a magnitude-5.5 tremor. | New Zealand's GeoNet suggests the earthquake may have been only a magnitude-5.5 tremor. |
| 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 the most terrifying earthquake I think I've felt in my 23 years in New Zealand". | On Twitter, Hayley Colgan described it as "the 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 |