The tremor – initially recorded at a 7.0 magnitude – hit at 2.43pm local time (9.43pm Singapore time) off the coast of Riverton at a depth of 10km off the southwest tip of South Island.
New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency said it was still assessing whether the quake posed a threat.
“People should be self-evacuating immediately from all places near the coast where the earthquake was felt either for longer than a minute or was strong enough that it was hard to stand.
“In these areas a tsunami may have been generated and may arrive quickly, so evacuate immediately to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible,” it said in an advisory on its website, urging those in coastal areas to follow the “long or strong, get gone” guidance.
This is a developing story, please refresh for updates.
Source: CNA
