New Zealand Earthquake: Magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes near Geraldine, New Zealand, largest in the country this year. No injuries or damage reported.
New Zealand Earthquake Update: On Wednesday, the country experienced its most substantial earthquake of the year, measuring 6.0 in magnitude. This seismic event occurred in the vicinity of Geraldine, located in the central part of New Zealand’s South Island. The information was relayed by the government’s seismic monitoring agency, Geonet. Initial reports are reassuring, as they suggest no injuries or notable damage resulting from the earthquake.
The earthquake occurred at 9:14 am local time (2114 GMT) on Wednesday, with its epicenter located at a depth of 11 km (7 miles). According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake was initially measured at 5.6 in magnitude, but New Zealand’s GeoNet monitoring service later adjusted it to a revised magnitude of 6.0, as reported by AFP. Fortunately, New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency has stated that the earthquake does not pose any tsunami risk.
According to GeoNet, over 14,000 individuals have reported feeling the tremors, with reports coming in from as far north as Auckland in the North Island.
Rebecca Chapman, who was working at Cafe Verde in Geraldine, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the epicenter, shared with AFP, “Nothing broke, but the lights were shaking. It was a bit unsettling. One of the customers was distressed as they had experienced the Christchurch earthquake.”
Another local resident, Sarah Hussey, a farmer residing near the epicenter, informed Reuters that this earthquake felt more powerful compared to others she had experienced. She said, “There’s no damage here, but I initially mistook it for thunder. The house trembled momentarily,” as reported by TVNZ’s 1News, according to Reuters.
New Zealand, situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire where tectonic plates converge, frequently encounters seismic and volcanic activities. With its population of 5 million, the country is affectionately dubbed the “Shaky Isles” due to the frequency of earthquakes it endures. Notably, this earthquake occurred not far from where a devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck in 2011, claiming 185 lives and causing significant damage in the South Island city of Christchurch.