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New Zealand on tsunami alert after 5.9-magnitude earthquake
New Zealand authorities withdrew a tsunami warning following a 5.9-magnitude quake on the western coast of the South Island.
New Zealand authorities on Thursday lifted the tsunami warning issued after a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of the South Island, saying the threat had eased following a revised assessment of the quake.
The National Emergency Management Agency said the advisory had been downgraded from a warning after determining that the earthquake was smaller than initially estimated, news agency AFP reported.
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Authorities, who had earlier urged people in affected coastal areas to "move immediately" to higher ground, later advised residents to remain cautious of "strong and unusual currents" along the shoreline.
Initial warning prompted evacuations
Soon after the earthquake, emergency officials had asked people in affected coastal areas to "move immediately" to higher ground as a precaution.
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The earthquake struck at a depth of 76 kilometres, about 83 kilometres west of Queenstown, a popular tourist destination on the South Island, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Authorities also warned of possible land inundation and instructed people in Milford Sound, another major tourist hotspot, to evacuate to higher ground.
Residents describe strong shaking
People living in the region described experiencing a powerful jolt.
The manager of a hotel in nearby Te Anau told AFP she "could hear it coming first".
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"The shaking was very severe. I thought it was the big one we've been told is coming."
Despite the strong tremors and precautionary evacuations, no damage had been reported by Thursday night.
Why New Zealand frequently experiences earthquakes?
New Zealand frequently experiences earthquakes because it sits at the boundary of the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. The country is also prone to volcanic activity.
Earlier on Thursday, a separate 5.0-magnitude earthquake was felt off the North Island.
The country has witnessed devastating earthquakes in the past. In 2011, a 6.3-magnitude quake struck Christchurch on the South Island, killing 185 people.
(With AFP inputs)
