Coastal Warning After 6.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off New Zealand

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 hit off the coast of New Zealand’s South Island, prompting urgent warnings for coastal residents, Al Jazeera reported. Authorities advised individuals to evacuate the water and stay away from beaches due to potential dangerous currents.

The National Emergency Management Agency urged those in the Southland and Fiordland regions to avoid marine areas. They instructed people on boats and at marinas to leave their vessels and move to shore, cautioning against returning until given the all-clear by officials.

Geonet, New Zealand’s seismic monitoring agency, reported that more than 4,700 people felt the quake. Local media reported falling items and swaying buildings in the aftermath. The earthquake struck at a depth of 33 km (21 miles), approximately 160 km (99 miles) northwest of the Snares Islands, New Zealand’s northernmost sub-Antarctic islands.