An earthquake in Fiordland measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale rattled the South Island and sparked a 90-minute tsunami alert last night.
Though the quake appears to have caused little damage, an alert from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii was issued for southern New Zealand soon after it struck at 9.22pm, 100 kilometres north-west of Tuatapere in Southland.
The earthquake was estimated to be approximately 12 kilometres deep, and was followed by two sizeable aftershocks, the first of a 6.1 magnitude 20 minutes later, and the second measuring 5.9 just before 2am.
Though both quakes were far from any towns, phones went down in east Invercargill power was out in Otatara, and a water main was broken in Winton, north of Invercargill.
The quake was felt strongly in Dunedin, Invercargill and Timaru, and Christchurch residents have reported feeling it as a long, rolling motion. People as far north as Wellington are said to have felt the earthquake to a lesser extent.
At 7.8 on the Richter scale, last night’s quake in Fiordland was among the second largest earthquakes records in New Zealand since European colonisation. The only one to top it was the 8.2 magnitude quake in Wairarapa on January 23, 1855.
One of New Zealand’s most famous earthquakes, also measuring 7.8, was in Napier in 1931, and caused the largest loss of life and most extensive damage of any recorded New Zealand quake.
News of last night’s earthquake was quickly picked up by world media, with reports appearing within the hour on BBC, CNN and Sky News websites.
For more information on New Zealand earthquakes check out the seismology category on NZS.com.
