New Zealand’s biggest earthquake, of 5.8 magnitude, struck close to the centre of the country.
A strong earthquake occurred just off the Marlborough Sounds, between North and South Islands. This earthquake shocked Kiwis on Thursday at 9.07pm.
No immediate damage has been reported.
GeoNet received more than 44,000 reports from Kiwis about the earthquake. Others shared their stories on social networks.
“I am on the third floor of Wgtn (Wellington), city at a reunion. Sally-ann tweeted that “We are freaking,”
One said that he was nearly going under the coffee table just to find this one.
‘Jesus! Pearl wrote, “Jesus!”
Jeff Tollan shared his experiences at Wellington’s rooftop bar.
“Drag bingo at Dirty Little Secret, when an earthquake strikes. He tweeted that the host asked him if he wanted us to stop.
“Everyone says “no”, and life goes …’
The measured depth was 51km below sea-level.
“You may have felt that shake!” GeoNet posted the tweet to their Twitter account.
“Caused in Marlborough by an M5.8 earthquake. It was moderately deep and felt over a wide area – typical of earthquakes of this size and depth.’
GeoNet reports show that Kiwis felt most the earthquake in their capital, along the Kapiti Coast of North Island, and at the top end of South Island.