Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Adam Withnall

Earthquake today: 'Severe', shallow 5.8-magnitude quake hits near Wellington, New Zealand

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake has struck New Zealand's North Island near Wellington, though there were no initial reports of damage.

The unusually shallow and strong quake was ranked "severe" by the country's GeoNet monitoring agency, after it hit at 9pm local time on Monday at a depth of 24km just east of Pongaroa. 

Residents took to Twitter to describe the effects of the "huge" quake, which comes as New Zealand prepares for national earthquake drills this week.

On Thursday, the country will take part in a nationwide "ShakeOut". The government says 1.2 million people have registered their involvement in the drill at 9.15am, when they will practice a "Drop, Cover and Hold" routine.

Monday night's quake was described as lasting between 8 and 30 seconds. John Booth, the Mayor of Carterton District, said the earthquake "gave the old farm house a good rock and roll,feel like I'm on a boat".

 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.