Strong earthquake strikes New Zealand, tremors felt in Wellington

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND (BNO NEWS) -- A strong and shallow earthquake struck the South Island of New Zealand on Friday afternoon, with strong tremors felt in Wellington and other parts of the country, seismologists and witnesses said. There was no immediate word on damage or casualties.

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake at 2:31 p.m. local time on Friday (0231 GMT) was centered about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southeast of Seddon, a small town in the Marlborough region. It struck about 8 kilometers (4.9 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GeoNet), the country's seismological agency.

GeoNet initially measured the strength of the earthquake at 6.9 on the Richter scale, but it later revised the magnitude down to 6.2 after seismologists reviewed the data. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center put the magnitude at a preliminary 6.8, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) had not yet issued its own measurement.

Witnesses said strong tremors were felt in the capital Wellington and other parts of the country, but there was no immediate word on damage or casualties. The epicenter of Friday's strong earthquake was approximately 67 kilometers (42 miles) southwest of Wellington, which is located on the North Island.

No tsunami watches or warnings were immediately issued, but the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center cautioned a local tsunami could not be ruled out. "Earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the earthquake epicenter," the warning center said in a bulletin.

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