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Tsunami alert after NZ earthquake Quake sparks NZ-Australia alert
(about 3 hours later)
A strong earthquake has shaken New Zealand, generating a small tsunami and briefly putting the country on alert. Tsunami warnings were issued earlier for parts of New Zealand and south-east Australia after a strong earthquake.
The US said a 7.8-magnitude quake hit off the south-west tip of New Zealand, 161km (100 miles) west of Invercargill at a depth of 33km. The tremor struck around the tip of New Zealand's South Island, generating warnings of a low-level tsunami.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii detected a small tsunami and issued a warning for New Zealand. People in coastal areas were advised to move to higher ground, but there were no reports of major damage or injuries.
It later cancelled the warning, but said there could have been some damage in areas near the epicentre. New Zealand said the quake, west of Invercargill, measured 6.6 magnitude, although US and Japanese geologists recorded it as stronger, at 7.8.
There has been no word of damage from either the earthquake or any tsunami, although reports said the quake was felt across New Zealand's South Island. It struck 5km (three miles) below ground in the remote Fiordland region at 2122 (0922 GMT), said New Zealand's Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, though US experts said it was much deeper.
"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines in the region near the epicentre within minutes to hours," the warning centre said in a statement after the quake was detected. 'Go to higher ground'
The quake was detected at 2122 local time (0922 GMT), reports said. A 6.1-magnitude aftershock was recorded in the same area about 20 minutes later, said the government institute.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) and Japanese seismologists classified the quake as a 7.8-magnitude event, but authorities in New Zealand suggested it could have been weaker. The whole house was moving, the door was moving in the doorframe, and the fence posts were moving Simon WilsonInvercargill householder class="" href="/2/hi/in_depth/2059330.stm">History of deadly earthquakes class="" href="/2/hi/science/nature/4126809.stm">How earthquakes happen class="" href="/2/hi/science/nature/7533972.stm">Animated guide: Tsunamis
"We've had big differences in the measurements of the quake," the country's national civil defence centre said in a statement, saying New Zealand's Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science measured it at magnitude 6.6. New Zealand issued a tsunami warning for a string of its coastal towns and cities, but later cancelled it.
A second earthquake, provisionally measured at magnitude 5.8 by the USGS, was detected shortly after the first event. Australia said a tsunami was detected in the Tasman Sea heading towards the country's south-east coast.
'Rolling feel' It was not expected to be a destructive wave, but could bring strong currents and coastal flooding, said Australia's Tsunami Warning Centre.
In Hawaii, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said ocean buoys had detected an increase wave size in the aftermath of the quake. "People in areas with threat to land inundation and flooding are strongly advised by emergency authorities to go to higher ground or at least 1km inland," said the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
The centre said the sea level was amplified by 17cm (6.7in) after the earthquake, with waves passing every 10 minutes. The tremor was felt across New Zealand's South Island and caused minor cracks in some buildings, according to reports.
Even though we are maybe 400km from the epicentre this was easily the longest and biggest I have ever felt Simon DarbySouth Island resident class="" href="/2/hi/in_depth/2059330.stm">History of deadly earthquakes class="" href="/2/hi/science/nature/4126809.stm">How earthquakes happen class="" href="/2/hi/science/nature/7533972.stm">Animated guide: Tsunamis Local media said the quake caused a long, rolling motion, which sent stock tumbling from supermarket shelves.
"Sea level readings confirm that a tsunami was generated," it said in a statement. People ran from restaurants in Queenstown as buildings shook, reports New Zealand's Herald newspaper. Power and phone lines were severed in some places.
"This tsunami may have been destructive along coastlines of the region near the earthquake epicentre." "The whole house was moving, the door was moving in the doorframe, and the fence posts were moving," Invercargill resident Simon Wilson told Radio New Zealand.
Alerts were issued for a string of New Zealand coastal towns and cities. Another Invercargill householder said his wife and their three young children huddled under the dining table during the quake, reported the New Zealand Press Association.
New Zealand's Herald newspaper reported that the quake was felt across the South Island. New Zealand records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, but only about 150 are felt by residents and fewer than 10 annually cause damage.
People ran from restaurants in Queenstown as buildings shook, the newspaper said. Power and phone lines were severed in some places.
One South Island resident, Simon Darby, told the newspaper the quake lasted about two-and-a-half minutes.
"I lived in Tokyo for three years so I know what large quakes are like. Even though we are maybe 400km from the epicentre this was easily the longest and biggest I have ever felt," he said.
"It wasn't very violent, more of a rolling feel. But it had a power about it - I ran straight outside into the car park."
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