WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A strong earthquake struck off the west coast of New Zealand's North Island on Tuesday, shaking residents across a wide area and toppling goods from shelves but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injury.

In the capital, Wellington, homes shook as the quake rumbled for about 20 seconds Tuesday.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-6.2 quake was centered about 105 kilometers (65 miles) south of New Plymouth on New Zealand's North Island. The temblor's epicenter was 236 kilometers (147 miles) below the surface, and the depth may have helped reduce surface damage.

The long, rolling tremor was felt from the Bay of Plenty in the North Island to Dunedin in the South Island.
No tsunami warnings have been issued.

Steve Sherburn from New Zealand's Geological and Nuclear Sciences says there are no reports of major damage or injuries yet.

"A shallow earthquake this size underneath the city would have been producing Christchurch-like effects so potentially in the southern and western-North Islands there may be some slight damage," he said.

New Zealand is prone to earthquakes. In February 2011, a strong quake in Christchurch killed 185 people and destroyed much of the city's downtown area.

Earth Changes Media


Mitch Battros | 



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