Powerful quake jolts Christchurch, NZ

[webfact]

Powerful quake jolts Christchurch, but no damage or injuries

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — A powerful magnitude-5.6 earthquake Tuesday jolted awake many residents in the New Zealand city of Christchurch, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries.

The quake struck at 6:48 a.m. local time, according to the United States Geological Survey. The epicenter was 101 kilometers (63 miles) northwest of Christchurch on the central South Island at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

New Zealand earthquake monitoring agency GeoNet collected 2,600 reports of people in the Christchurch area feeling the quake, which some described on social media as long and rolling, others as short and sharp.

"Jolted awake at the farm this morning," wrote television reporter Donna-Marie Lever on Twitter. "Lights swinging but no damage here."

GeoNet reported a subsequent string of smaller earthquakes.

The quakes did not prompt any tsunami warnings in the region.

Christchurch, on the east coast of South Island, is still rebuilding from a 2011 earthquake that destroyed much of the downtown and killed 185 people.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-01-06

[Gsxrnz]

I was 200 klm south of the quake's epicentre this morning at 6:50am (actually I was reading TV at the time) and felt the quake. The house rattled a bit and a few hanging lightshades swung around. It lasted about 30 seconds for me and felt like two or three individual quakes stuck together.

Although it was reasonably strong the epicentre was well away from Christchurch, it was originally reported as being a 6.4 north of Methven for all you ski loving Kiwis, but has just been revised to a 6.0 and 30klm west of Arthur's Pass.

No reports of any damages or injury. But it is a worry that it was so strong. Christchurch rebuilding has really been progressing well in the last 12 months and it would be a real shame to see the city infrastructure screwed again as well as the potential for injury or death. But this was probably related to one of the alpine faults (I'm guessing) as opposed to the new faults around Christchurch.

This is GSXRNZ reporting to you live from the Shaky Isles.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Gsxrnz