Undersea earthquake felt in NZ

An earthquake registering 6.6 on the Richter scale has been felt throughout the North Island.

The 366km deep undersea earthquake was centred 850km north of Whakatane at 8am.


The earthquake was centred north-east of Whakatane. Image: GeoNet.

There is no tsunami risk to New Zealand, say GeoNet scientists.

The earthquake was felt in Tauranga and as far away as Wellington says GeoNet duty seismologist Caroline Holden.

'It seems that it was felt everywhere, and I'm impressed - all the way south to Wellington, that would mean about 2000km. But looking at the felt reports it was very gentle. Deep and large enough to be felt as far south as Wellington.

'There's nothing abnormal about it. The Kermadec region is very active. It's nothing surprising, it's part of the whole ring of fire earthquakes. Those ones are interesting anyway, they are a gentle reminder that earthquakes are real.”

About 150 people reported they had felt the earthquake.

Did you feel the earthquake?

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2 comments

another quake?

Posted on 02-02-2016 11:10 | By JW77

I felt one at 7am it seemed to go on forever is that another or was I dreaming


???

Posted on 02-02-2016 11:46 | By penguin

Didn't feel a thing!


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