Strong Earthquake Rocks New Zealand’s South Island

BBC News — September 3, 2010 — A 7.2-magnitude earthquake has struck off New Zealand’s South Island, the US Geological Survey has said.

The epicentre was 30km (20 miles) north-west of Christchurch, at a depth of 16.1 km (10 miles), it added.

There have so far been no reports of any damage or casualties. Christchurch is New Zealand’s third largest city with a population of about 342,000.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning centre has reportedly said that “no destructive widespread tsunami threat” exists.

The Christchurch-based newspaper, The Press, said aftershocks were ongoing and that the electricity supply appeared to have been knocked out across much of the city.

The earthquake struck at 0435 on Saturday (1635 GMT on Friday), when most people would have been asleep.