New Zealand, which has been experiencing a rash of earthquakes in recent days, was hit by the largest so far Sunday. The quake, which occurred around midnight eastern time, was at first reported as registering at 6.9, but that figure was later changed to 6.5.
Quakes of 5.8 and 5.7 rocked the small country earlier in the weekend, but the latest’s proximity to the capital of Wellington has caused flights to be grounded and has added to concern.
Earthquakes are nothing new to New Zealand, which experiences nearly 14,000 a year due to its placement along the boundary between two tectonic plates. Today’s quakes are thought to be a product of this placement. Geologist Dr. Anna Kaiser was quoted as saying “These quakes this morning are very close to the subduction interface, which is the boundary between the Pacific and Australian plate.”
No major damage has been reported in the aftermath, but power lines and water mains were damaged. There is also no risk of a tsunami forming, which is always a threat when large quakes occur in the pacific.
The Dominion Post compiled a list of quakes, mostly smaller pre-quakes and aftershocks, that took place around today’s 6.5, as well as a map of the epicenter’s of the quakes.
[Thanks to The Telegraph for the footage]