AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AFP) — A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of New Zealand’s North Island Friday, the US Geological Survey said, triggering a tsunami warning from authorities.
The USGS said the quake hit 180 kilometres (111 miles) northeast of the city of Gisborne at 1327 Thursday GMT (10:27 p.m. PHL time), at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometres.
“Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 kilometres of the earthquake epicentre,” the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
© Agence France-Presse