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Tsunami alert after NZ earthquake Tsunami alert after NZ earthquake
(31 minutes later)
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake has shaken New Zealand, prompting a tsunami warning for parts of the Pacific Ocean. A strong earthquake has shaken New Zealand, generating a small tsunami and putting the country's coast on alert.
The quake struck off the south-west tip of New Zealand, 161km (100 miles) west of Invercargill at a depth of 33km (20 miles), the US Geological Survey said. 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 (20 miles).
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii issued a "non-expanding regional tsunami warning" for nearby areas. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said a tsunami had been detected and issued a general warning.
There were no immediate reports of damage or any evidence that a tsunami had formed after the quake. There have been no reports of damage, although reports said the quake was felt across New Zealand's South Island.
"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."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.
The quake was detected at 0922GMT (2122 local time), reports said. The quake was detected at 2122 local time (0922 GMT), reports said.
New Zealand's Herald newspaper said the quake was felt across the South Island. The US Geological Survey and Japanese seismologists classified the quake as a 7.8-magnitude event, but authorities in New Zealand suggested it could have been weaker.
"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.
'Rolling feel'
In Hawaii, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said ocean buoys had detected an increase wave size in the aftermath of the quake.
The centre said the sea level was amplified by 17cm (6.7in) after the earthquake, with waves passing every 10 minutes.
Even though we are maybe 400km from the epicentre this was easily the longest and biggest I have ever felt Simon DarbySouth Island resident History of deadly earthquakes How earthquakes happen
"Sea level readings confirm that a tsunami was generated," it said in a statement.
"This tsunami may have been destructive along coastlines of the region near the earthquake epicentre."
Alerts were issued for a string of New Zealand coastal towns and cities, all of which could be hit by any tsunami in the coming hours.
New Zealand's Herald newspaper reported that the quake was felt across the South Island.
People ran from restaurants in Queenstown as buildings shook, the newspaper said. Power and phone lines were severed in some places.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.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."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.""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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