New Zealand Issues Tsunami Warning After 5.9 Quake Hits South Island
Updated
Updated · Fox Weather · Jul 16
New Zealand Issues Tsunami Warning After 5.9 Quake Hits South Island
3 articles · Updated · Fox Weather · Jul 16
Summary
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck New Zealand’s South Island just before 9:15 p.m. local time, centered about 26 miles south of Te Anau.
New Zealand’s National Emergency Agency then issued a tsunami warning for the South Island’s west coast from Milford Sound to Puysegur Point, urging immediate evacuation because a damaging wave was possible.
USGS said the quake was relatively deep—about 48 miles below the surface—and was felt across much of the southern half of the South Island.
New Zealand lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a 25,000-mile seismic belt where about 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur.