A magnitude 6.7 earthquake off the coast of New Zealand’s South Island has sparked fears of a possible tsunami.
The earthquake struck at 2.42pm (NZDT) on Tuesday at a depth of 12km about 160km northwest of Snares Islands, and was felt by thousands in the vicinity on the mainland.
NZ’s National Emergency Management Agency urged residents in nearby regions to 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,’ the alert read.
‘Strong currents and surges can injure and drown people. There is a danger to swimmers, surfers, people fishing, and anyone in or near the water close to shore.’
‘People in or near the sea in the following areas should move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, marinas, rivers and estuaries.’
There is no official evacuation warning for the area, however authorities have urged 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.’