A magnitude 6.7 earthquake off the coast of New Zealand’s South Island has sparked a tsunami assessment.
The earthquake struck at 2.42pm on Tuesday at a depth of 33km about 160km northwest of Snares Islands, and was felt by thousands in its vicinity.
NZ’s National Emergency Management Agency warned residents of nearby regions should stay clear of beaches.
‘Residents of Southland and Fiordland should stay away from beach and marine areas as strong and unusual currents may present a danger,’ a statement on their website read.
There is no official evacuation warning for the area, but NEMA is advising residents to self-evacuate in the case of ‘immediately from all places near the coast where the earthquake was felt either for longer than a minute OR was strong enough that it was hard to stand’.
‘In these areas a tsunami may have been generated and may arrive quickly, so evacuate immediately to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible.’
More to come.