New Zealand is once again on high alert following reports of a “strong” earthquake that struck earlier today on the nation’s north island, registering around 6.2 on the Richter scale and sending residents ducking for cover.
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The quake struck at around 3:20pm local time, at a depth of just over 200kms, with an epicentre around 25km south-west of the town of Taumarunui, which is around halfway between Wellington and Auckland.
While shaking was largely not felt in Auckland, in the Kiwi capital it was a different story.
Remarkably, New Zealand parliament was sitting at the time the quake struck, meaning the exact moment Parliament House begun shaking was caught on film. Rather than panic, however, those in the house at the time reacted like this sorta thing happens all the time. Which, fair play to them, it more or less does.
NZ National Party MP Alfred Ngaro was addressing Parliament when the earthquake struck, gamely ploughing ahead with his speech for several seconds until deputy speaker Anne Tolley brought proceedings to halt and calmly suggested “we might be best to suspend the sitting for a few moments.”
Unbelievable and incredibly blessed scenes right there.
There’s no reports of widespread damage as a result of the quake – which was the largest one recorded in New Zealand since a 6.6 magnitude quake struck in the South Tasman Sea to the north-west of Auckland Island in July of last year – and Civil Defence authorities confirmed there was no threat of tsunami at this time.
And if you’re wondering how ordinary New Zealanders closer to the epicentre of the quake reacted, one apparently looked at the shaking of the ground, scoffed, and decided to leave what amounts to a bad Yelp review.
Shoutout to this person who had a 6.7 earthquake right next to them but was like “weak” #eqnz pic.twitter.com/tRr08cqowI
— Blair (@Noobish1) October 30, 2018
Kiwis. Absolutely bloody love ’em.
