New Zealand’s South Island has been shaken by a series of earthquakes this morning, the largest of which measured 6.4 magnitude, and was felt as far away as the northern part of the North Island.
The New Zealand Herald report that the strongest tremor was felt at 6.48am local time in the Canterbury region, 100km west of Christchurch, and was 10km deep. It has been classified as “severe” by earthquake monitor GeoNet.
There have been no reports of damage so far, although the initial quake was followed by 20 aftershocks, the largest of which measured 4.2 in magnitude.
Authorities have said that today’s event was “similar in size and magnitude” to the devastating quake that killed 185 people in Christchurch in 2011, but that its location, in a fairly isolated area, reduced the risk of damage.
New Zealand sits on the edge of the Pacific ‘Ring Of Fire’, where a large number of seismic activities occur. The country has many fault lines, and it is not yet clear which one caused today’s quake.
It has been warned that aftershocks could go on for “a while yet.”
Photo: Cameron Spencer via Getty Images
