‘Now is NOT the time, earthquake!’ 4.3-magnitude tremor rattles Christchurch – as thousands report feeling their homes shake
Residents in Christchurch, New Zealand, have woken to a rattle, with a 4.3 magnitude earthquake shaking thousands across the region.
The moderate tremble, which took place at 7.49am on Thursday, was reported by 9000 people to earthquake monitors GeoNet.
The epicentre of the earthquake was 10km southwest of South Island’s biggest city, and remarkably shallow at just 5km below the surface.
Earthquakes of this magnitude are relatively common and there are no reports of any damage from Thursday’s minor shake.
However, the huge number of reports makes it one of New Zealand’s most felt quakes in recent months.
Locals flooded Twitter, using the #eqnz hashtag to suggest they had enough on their plate while living under a coronavirus lockdown, and that an earthquake would not be welcome.
‘In (sic) sure the people of Christchurch could do without ground wobbles as well as pandemic wobbles! Cut it out, geology!’ Jo Bailey said.
Cassandra Mudgway said ‘Feeling for my fam and friends in chch right now. Guess #eqnz didn’t get the memo that now is NOT the time’.
‘Jesus! That was a big quake Chch! The last thing we need happening,’ Brendon Moir added.
Christchurch will next year recognise a decade since the devastating 2011 earthquake which killed 185 people and caused billions of dollars of damage.