7.4 magnitude earthquake shakes New Zealand

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake has struck 20km south-east of Hanmer Springs, Geonet says.

It described the quake, felt through much of the country, as ‘very large’.

The quake struck at 12.02am Monday and is officially rated as ‘severe’.

Civil Defence has issued a tsumani warning for the eastern coast of the South Island and says anyone near the coast should move to high ground.

Many people from as far afield as Wellington to Dunedin felt the quake.

In Wellington, sirens can be heard and people are on the street crying.

New Zealand Civil Defence just tweeted that it is ‘assessing [the] situation with assistance of scientific advisors and civil defence groups’.

There are reports that houses in Cheviot, near where the quake was centred in Canterbury, are badly affected by the shake.

Police have stated their emergency 111 lines are again non-operational after initially going down as a result of the quake.

Source: New Zealand Herald‎