Several buildings and roads in Wellington and Malborough are damaged. According to Wellington City Council's emergency management office, earthquake has also caused some damage to a council building in Wakefield Street.
At least one person has been reported injured in Kapiti. According to Waikato Times, there have been no reports of earthquake-related emergency callouts in the Waikato.
Wellington City Council's emergency management office has been activated due to today's earthquake. Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown has urged people to prepare an emergency kit in case there are any more quakes.
Following the New Zealand National Crisis Management Centre, there is no tsunami threat.
USGS has decreased the magnitude to 6.5. Wellington earthquake today was caused as a result of oblique thrust faulting on or near the plate boundary between the Pacific and Australia plates, USGS added.
Related post: List of natural calamities in New Zealand
M 6.9 severe earthquake shakes New Zealand today, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake's epicenter was located 20 km east of Seddon. It was 19.3 miles deep.
GeoNet has kept the magnitude at 6.5 with epicenter located 20 km east of Seddon.
Around 290,000 people are living within 100 km radius. GDACS has issued a Green Earthquake alert in New Zealand.
No damage or injury has been reported.
05:19 UTC (local time 2013-07-21 17:09 @ epicenter)
Shaking Intensity (MMI)
VI (Strong): Brooklyn and Karori.
V (Moderate): Wellington, Blenheim, Kelburn and Picton.
IV (Light): Palmerston North, Nelson, Richmond and Napier.
III (Weak): Christchurch
Epicenter Location
46 km ESE of Blenheim, New Zealand
53 km SSW of Karori, New Zealand
54 km SSW of Wellington, New Zealand
67 km SW of Lower Hutt, New Zealand
72 km SSW of Porirua, New Zealand
Original post: Natural Disasters List July 21, 2013
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