Tsunami alert for Australia after NZ earthquake

15 Jul 2009, 8:00 pm   -   Source: NZ herald, sbs
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Huge earthquake rocks NZ tsunami feared

Huge earthquake rocks NZ tsunami feared

A huge earthquake has rocked parts of New Zealand's South Island sparking fears of a possible tsunami for NZ and the east coast Australia.

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A huge earthquake has rocked parts of New Zealand's South Island leading to a tsunami warning being issued for New Zealand and the eastern coast of Australia.

Tsunami warning

The Australian Department of Meterology has issed a tsunami warning to Australian residents living in coastal regions of New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.

The Department  issued the following statement warning resident in danger areas to move to higher ground

"People in areas with threat of land inundation and flooding are strongly advised by emergency authorities to go to higher ground or at least one kilometre inland.

In areas with a threat to the marine environment only, emergency authorities advise people to get out of the water and move away from the immediate water’s edge of harbours, coastal estuaries, rock platforms, and beaches.

Refer to individual State and Territory tsunami warnings and watches for local information."

For more information see the offical Department site

New Zealand quake

People ran from restaurants in Queenstown as buildings shook, and lights and phone lines went down.

The earthquake struck just before 930pm New Zealand time and was recorded as a 6.6 magnitude quake off the coast of the west coast of the South Island some 170km from Invercargill. Overseas monitors put the magnitude as high as 7.8.

It was felt across the South Island.

Ground shakes

The NZ Herald reports that Wanaka resident Simon Darby said a rumbling feeling in the ground forced him to run outside of his house.

"It must have lasted about two and half minutes. I lived in Tokyo for three years so I know what large quakes are like. Even though we are maybe 400km from the epicentre this was easily the longest and biggest I have ever felt.

"It wasn't very violent, more of a rolling feel. But it had a power about it - I ran straight outside into the carpark."

There are between 10,000 and 15,000 earthquakes in and around New Zealand each year. Most are small, but between 100 and 150 are big enough to be felt, according to GNS Science.

The biggest known quake in New Zealand was the magnitude 8.2 Wairarapa earthquake of 1855.

The biggest New Zealand earthquake since instrumental recording began was the 1931 magnitude 7.8 Hawke's Bay earthquake.
 

 

 

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