- A 5.4 magnitude earthquake has rocked the South Island of New Zealand
- The quake hit near the coastal town of Kaikoura on Sunday afternoon
- ‘It certainly felt like a 5… It was short and sharp,’ one local said
A 5.4 magnitude earthquake has rocked the South Island of New Zealand.
The quake hit near the coastal town of Kaikoura on Sunday afternoon, just after 5.00pm local time.
Ross James, a manager at a local hotel, told the New Zealand Herald the quake was ‘a big one’.
‘It certainly felt like a 5… It was short and sharp. It was very, very sharp, quick and then it was over,’ he said.
The quake hit near the coastal town of Kaikoura on Sunday afternoon, just after 5.00pm local time
Ross James, a manager at a local hotel, told the New Zealand Herald the quake was ‘a big one’. Pictured, an elevated view over the picturesque coastal town of Kaikoura
The earthquake was at a depth of 13km and more than 1,300 people have reported feeling the tremor, according to GeoNet.
‘Yep, that was a big one. Been feeling light tremors for the last hour,’ one local wrote on social media.
‘Looks like that was a bit of a rattle. Hope everyone who felt that is doing OK,’ the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management tweeted.
A second magnitude 2.7 quake hit around ten minutes later. They are no confirmed reports of significant damage.
More to come.