Earthquake in New Zealand: What you need to know

Picture courtesy : The Guardian

The Northeast part of New Zealand was hit by a strong earthquake on Friday. The quake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale. There was a Tsunami warning issued by Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) initially but was later withdrawn. PTWC issued a statement, "There is no longer a tsunami threat from this earthquake”. Local authorities say that people in coastal areas can experience strong weather conditions. The epicenter of the quake was close to the major city of Gisborne which has a population of about 35,500. No reports of any major damage or loss of life have been reported so far. Aftershocks were still felt in the area till recently.