Tsunami Advisory Issued After Magnitude 6.7 Earthquake Strikes Off New Zealand’s South Island

Coastal residents of New Zealand’s South Island were urged to evacuate beaches and stay away from the water after a strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck offshore on Tuesday, authorities announced, as per Al Jazeera.

The National Emergency Management Agency issued a tsunami advisory for the Southland and Fiordland regions, warning of potentially dangerous strong and unusual currents in marine areas.

The earthquake was widely felt, with government seismic monitor Geonet reporting that over 4,700 people experienced the tremors. New Zealand media outlets reported instances of items falling and buildings swaying.

Geonet reported the quake occurred at a depth of 21 miles about 99 miles northwest of Snares Islands, the northernmost of New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands. The United States Geological Survey, which initially reported the magnitude as 7 before downgrading it, placed the depth at approximately 16 miles.

While initially concerning, Australia’s national weather bureau determined that there was no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands, or territories.

New Zealand’s location on the seismically active “Ring of Fire,” a 40,000km (24,854-mile) arc of volcanoes and ocean trenches encircling much of the Pacific Ocean, makes it prone to frequent seismic activity.