Major Earthquake Off The Coast Of New Zealand, Tsunami Warning In Effect

[sabaijai]

Major earthquake off the coast of New Zealand, tsunami warning in effect

CNN -- A tsunami warning was issued Wednesday after a 7.8-preliminary magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning center.

The epicenter was located 161 km (100 miles) west of the city of Invercargill, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tsunami warning applies to New Zealand only, and was issued as a precaution.

The warning center said it is not known if a tsunami was actually generated by the quake.

[TPI]

Major earthquake off the coast of New Zealand, tsunami warning in effect

CNN -- A tsunami warning was issued Wednesday after a 7.8-preliminary magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning center.

The epicenter was located 161 km (100 miles) west of the city of Invercargill, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tsunami warning applies to New Zealand only, and was issued as a precaution.

The warning center said it is not known if a tsunami was actually generated by the quake.

It looks like there will be great surfing for a while??

[sabaijai]

Tsunami alert for southeast Australia

A TSUNAMI warning has been issued for Lord Howe Island and parts of Tasmania following a 7.9 magnitude earthquake off the west coast of New Zealand's south island.

The earthquake hit at 7.22pm (AEST).

Lord Howe Island

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said: "For low-lying coastal areas there is a threat of major land inundation, flooding dangerous waves and strong ocean currents for several hours."

"People in affected areas are strongly advised by the Lord Howe Island police to

go to higher ground or at least 1km inland.

"For all threatened areas, people are advised to get out of the water and move away from the immediate waters edge. "

Tasmania

The bureau said: "Threatened areas extend from Northern Tip of Flinders Island to Low Rocky

Point including Bicheno, Derwent Estuary, Eddystone Point, Flinders Island, Hobart, Low Rocky Point, Maatsuyker Island, Maria Island, Orford, Scamander, St Helens, Storm Bay and Channel, Swansea, Tasman Island and Wineglass Bay."

"Possibility of dangerous waves, strong ocean currents and some localised overflow

onto the immediate foreshore for several hours from 09:30 pm (AEST) tonight.

"Although major evacuations are not required, people are advised to get out of the water and move away from the immediate water's edge."

Next update will be issued by 09.05pm AEST tonight.

For latest and further information call 1300 TSUNAMI (1300 878 6264) or visit www.bom.gov.au

Source: The Australian

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...5006786,00.html

[sabaijai]

Tsunami warning canceled after New Zealand quake

The Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says a tsunami generated after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake off of New Zealand is small and poses no threat.

The warning center says no destructive waves are headed for New Zealand's western coastline after a tsunami warning was issued earlier.

The waves generated are less than 8 inches (20 centimeters) in height and the warning was canceled after about an hour.

The quake's epicenter was 100 miles (161 kilometers) west of Invercargill, off the west coast of New Zealand's South Island at a depth of 21 miles (33 kilometers). It hit at 0922 GMT on Wednesday, the USGS said.

-- Associated Press 2009-07-15

[Donnyboy]

Major earthquake off the coast of New Zealand, tsunami warning in effect

CNN -- A tsunami warning was issued Wednesday after a 7.8-preliminary magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning center.

The epicenter was located 161 km (100 miles) west of the city of Invercargill, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tsunami warning applies to New Zealand only, and was issued as a precaution.

The warning center said it is not known if a tsunami was actually generated by the quake.

It looks like there will be great surfing for a while??

maybe if youre a crab! it created an 8 inch curl

[mommysboy]

Can sheep swim?

[ldh]

Major earthquake off the coast of New Zealand, tsunami warning in effect

CNN -- A tsunami warning was issued Wednesday after a 7.8-preliminary magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning center.

The epicenter was located 161 km (100 miles) west of the city of Invercargill, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tsunami warning applies to New Zealand only, and was issued as a precaution.

The warning center said it is not known if a tsunami was actually generated by the quake.

WOW for the news media again. Very strange that we in New Zealand have not heard heard about the huge earthquake and tsunami warning. The news media cause more problems with there lies than anything else in the world.

[Jimjim]

Yes, I'm sure they completely made up a 7.8 earthquake. Get real, man, you probably just haven't been paying attention.

[sabaijai]

Hikers warned away as huge quake rocks New Zealand

7 hours ago

WELLINGTON — New Zealand authorities warned people against entering a remote southern national park while they checked for damage from the country's largest earthquake in 78 years.

Following the 7.8 magnitude quake, civil defence officials were carrying out an extensive aerial search of the South Westland region of South Island and ground parties were checking on hikers known to be in the area.

The powerful tremor, which prompted a tsunami warning after it struck at 9:22 pm Wednesday (0922 GMT), was followed by several strong aftershocks.

However, it was centred 35 kilometres (22 miles) deep off the coast of the largely uninhabited South Westland region, and there were no immediate reports of serious damage.

Prime Minister John Key, who was on a scheduled trip to the southern city of Invercargill, about 160 kilometres from the epicentre, said any government response would depend on damage that had yet to be assessed.

"All the feedback we've had so far is while it's been a large quake, certainly at this point (there is) no reported loss of life, which is fantastic, and no great reports of damage."

The quake was felt as far away as Australia where a performance at Bondi Pavilion in Sydney was reported to have been cancelled and theatregoers evacuated on fears of a tsunami.

About 50 people were also evacuated from homes and resorts on Lord Howe Island, which lies between Australia and New Zealand.

However, there was only a small surge of water, about 17 centimetres (around seven inches) high, and the tsunami warning was cancelled after its size was confirmed when it reached the port of Bluff, near Invercargill, about an hour after the quake.

At first light Thursday, department of conservation teams entered the Fiordland National Park, which is popular with hikers and said their priority was to check on people known to be in the area.

"It is advisable for anyone planning a trip into the park to wait for the outcome of the safety checks currently under way," the department said in a statement.

Once the checks have been completed, the focus would be on damage to huts, structures, bridges and roads.

The regional civil defence emergency management group was also carrying out an aerial survey, although co-ordinator Neil Cruickshank said early reports showed no significant damage.

"While there has been disruption to electricity supplies, power companies reported no major problems, and the rail network is reported to be undamaged. Telephone services are operational," he said.

"Previous experience suggested that the quake would have triggered land slides in remote areas of Fiordland."

Several large quakes of up to 6.1 magnitude continued to rock the area more than 16 hours after the initial quake, and another of 5.4 hit the western North Island district of Taranaki.

More than 14,000 earthquakes are recorded annually in New Zealand, and the latest tremor was the biggest since February 2, 1931 when a 7.8 quake killed at least 256 people in the North Island city of Napier.

The biggest quake recorded in the country was of 8.2 magnitude in 1855 which wrecked much of what is now the capital city Wellington.

The chairwoman of the Greater Wellington Regional Council, Fran Wilde, warned the latest tremor should be seen as a wake-up call.

It could have caused "destruction on a massive scale" had it struck near heavily populated Wellington, she said.

"Luckily the earthquake occurred in a very remote area and caused little damage to buildings and infrastructure, but it was another timely reminder for residents in our region to be ready should this happen to us."

Source: AFP 2009-07-16

[sabaijai]

Big quake off New Zealand triggers small wave

No injuries or major damage reported after 7.8-magnitude earthquake

updated 8:47 a.m. ET July 15, 2009

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off New Zealand's western coast Wednesday generating a small tsunami. No injuries or major damage were reported.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii warned that a tsunami was generated, but it later said the waves were less than 8 inches in height and the warning was canceled after about an hour.

The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre also issued a tsunami alert for eastern Australia that was still in effect late Wednesday.

"All available New Zealand and international data about the earthquake and sea levels showed that there is no tsunami threat to New Zealand," said John Hamilton, director of the Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management.

The quake's epicenter was 100 miles west of Invercargill, off the west coast of New Zealand's South Island at a depth of 21 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It hit at 0922 GMT on Wednesday.

The quake was felt widely across South Island. Police in the town of Tuatapere said they had reports of minor cracks in buildings and stock falling from supermarket shelves.

However, no reports of serious damage or injuries were received, police said.

Scientists with New Zealand's Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences were working with their U.S. counterparts late Wednesday to reconcile their readings with those taken overseas. The quake was reported locally at 6.6 magnitude before reports from the U.S. listed it at 7.8 magnitude and as high as 8.2.

"We've had big differences in the measurements of the quake, ranging from 6.6 by GNS Science, to 8.2 by a tsunami warning center in Hawaii. We're issuing a precautionary message," Vince Cholewa, an emergency management spokesman in Wellington, told the domestic news agency NZPA.

Scientists in New Zealand reported aftershocks, the first of 6.1 magnitude occurring 19 minutes after the main temblor.

New Zealand sits above an area of the Earth's crust where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates collide and records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, though only about 150 are felt by residents. Fewer than 10 tem

-- Associated Press 2009-07-16blors a year do any damage.