A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck on Thursday night in New Zealand’s South Island, and emergency authorities advised coastal people to rush to higher ground immediately. It struck Te Anau, a popular gateway to the world-famous Fiordland region and earthquake activity was felt across much of the South Island.
According to New Zealand’s geological monitoring agency GeoNet, the earthquake hit 40 kilometres north of Te Anau at a depth of around 53 kilometers. Thousands of people felt it in minutes, and Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Queenstown, Wanaka and Dunedin all reported strong and sustained shaking.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) issued an urgent tsunami warning for parts of the South Island’s west coast after the earthquake. Coastal areas from Milford Sound to Puysegur Point could be prone to dangerous tsunami activity, such as life-threatening surges and coastal flooding, it said. Evacuation zones in tsunami areas could get people to leave at once to the nearest high ground or go as far inland as possible.
Emergency officials stressed that the first tsunami wave might not necessarily be the largest and warned that hazardous conditions could continue for several hours. People were told to stay away from beaches, rivers, estuaries, harbours, and shorelines until authorities provided an official all-clear. Emergency mobile alerts were also sent to residents in threatened areas.
The earthquake caused alarm across the South Island. Residents reported furniture shaking, houses shaking and loud rumbling sounds. Social media users in Queenstown, Dunedin, Cromwell and others said it was the strongest quake they had ever felt. Emergency services evacuated buildings immediately as a precaution.
There were also several aftershocks in the hours after the main earthquake, adding to residents’ anxiety. Seismologists are monitoring the region closely for more seismic activity. New Zealand lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most active earthquake zones, where tectonic plate movements are frequently responsible for earthquakes and volcanic activity.
There have been no major casualties reported, and widespread damage has not been reported. But emergency response teams are on high alert where damage is being assessed, and roads, public facilities, and coastal communities are being monitored to gauge the full potential impact of the earthquake and any tsunami.
That’s just one more example of the vulnerability of New Zealand to earthquakes and tsunami threats,” said emergency officials. “Residents should be aware and be on the lookout for aftershocks in the next couple of hours.”
