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New Zealand Earthquake 2011

December 23, 2011 by · Comments Off on New Zealand Earthquake 2011 

New Zealand Earthquake 2011, A pair of 5.8-magnitude earthquakes struck near the New Zealand city of Christchurch Friday afternoon, causing widespread damage and sparking evacuations of the city’s international airport and major shopping centers.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the first quake hit at a depth of 2.9 miles about 16 miles east-northeast of Christchurch at 1:58pm local time.

The second quake was reported at the same location, at a depth of three miles and followed a series of strong aftershocks that included a 5.3-magnitude tremor.

There was no tsunami warning issued after either quake.

Qantas flight QF45 from Sydney was diverted to Wellington following the evacuation of the Christchurch International Airport.

The series of shakes were the largest to hit the region in about three months and come 10 months after more than 180 people were killed when a large quake hit the South Island city in February. That earthquake followed a 7.0-magnitude earthquake which struck in September, 2010.

A police statement issued after Friday’s second 5.8-magnitude quake said reports indicated that had been no serious injuries as a result. However, one person was hospitalized after being injured at a suburban shopping mall.

Other shopping centers were evacuated after items fell off shelves during the quake.

Police said reports of damage included the collapse of two buildings — a vacant house and a partly-demolished building — and major holes opening on Broadhaven Avenue in the city’s northeastern suburbs.

New Zealand Earthquake 2011

July 6, 2011 by · Comments Off on New Zealand Earthquake 2011 

New Zealand Earthquake 2011, A powerful earthquake measuring 7.6 earthquakes shook the remote Kermadec Islands in the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. That caused a small tsunami that had New Zealand preparing for the high waves. The quake was felt as far away as Christchurch, New Zealand, said New Geological and Nuclear Sciences Zealand agency.

De Kermadec island’s volcanic peaks are a remote uninhabited since they are usually on one side of a weather station and a hostel for visiting scientists from New Zealand.

New Zealand Department of Conservation spokesman Nick Hirst said eight workers from Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands one, were not injured by the earthquake.

“They felt the quake – was an important toss – but no injuries or damage has been detected,” said Hirst.

The 7:03 a.m. Thursday (1903 GMT Wednesday) quake was 29.8 miles (48 kilometers) deep, the USGS said.

The Tsunami Warning Center Pacific, a U.S. agency issued a tsunami warning for the possible damage to the Keramecs, Tonga and New Zealand, but canceled about an hour later. It said a tsunami measured 2.2 feet (0.68 meters) was measured at Raoul Island.

The Kermadecs are about 570 miles (920 kilometers) south of Tonga, the nearest major island, and is 736 miles (1,185 kilometers) northeast of Auckland, New Zealand.

New Zealand Civil Defence warned people to stay off the beaches and stay out of the water until the last tsunami.

Auckland Regional Civil Defence Controller Manly Clive told Radio New Zealand is not expected to cause damage to the interior: “You can get pretty extreme currents – making it a hazard to ships – but this time we are anticipating damage to the earth. “

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