Earthquake of magnitude 7.0 strikes Kermadec Islands in New Zealand

Following the earthquake, reports in the New Zealand media suggest issuance of relevant rescue measures in the region

An earthquake of magnitude 7.0 hit the Kermadec Island region in New Zealand on Thursday morning. The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) tweeted that an earthquake occurred at around 6:25 am IST, with a depth of 41 km.

According to media reports, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a statement which said that tsunami waves are likely to the coasts located within 300 km of the earthquake's epicentre. However, there is no tsunami threat to Australia, it further said.

On the other hand, National Emergency Management Agency said there is no tsunami threat for New Zealand. 

Following the earthquake, reports in the New Zealand media suggest the issuance of relevant rescue measures in the region. 

New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency took to Twitter to share updates and preparedness measures for the citizens.

Due to the geographical location of New Zealand, the country is prone to witness many tremors annually. It is situated at the convergence of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. Additionally, it falls on the periphery of the Ring of Fire, a region of heightened seismic activity.

This is the second earthquake in New Zealand which was witnessed in 2023. The previous one was on Feb 15, 2023, in the Northwest of Paraparaumu.