NZ’s North Island shaken by another big quake
Napier in New Zealand which was levelled by a major earthquake in 1931 which killed 256 people. Photo: Getty
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 has struck central New Zealand, little more than a week after a powerful tremor centred in the upper South Island rocked the country and killed two people.
The quake was centred off the coast of the North Island, 138km from Palmerston North, at a depth of 37km.
The New Zealand Herald reported the quake as a 5.4 magnitude shake, centred in the Hawkes Bay region on the east coast of the North Island.
The historic historic Chapelwick Homestead in Porangahau “shook” strongly, according to its owner Deborah Beldham.
“It gave me a fright and I ran out of the house,” she told the Herald.
“The homestead shakes quite a bit but I think it’s designed for that — the chandelier was swinging in the foyer.”
There have been no reports of damage or injuries as yet.
Thousands of aftershocks have been registered since a magnitude 7.8 quake struck near Christchurch in the early hours of November 14.
More to come.
