7.1-magnitude quake jolts New Zealand

An earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale hit New Zealand's North Island on Friday, the media reported.

The quake hit around 100 km northeast of the East Cape settlement of Te Araroa, The New Zealand Herald reported.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has not issued a Pacific-wide warning, but a "very small" tsunami hit the northern coast of New Zealand, CNN quoted USGS geophysicist John Bellini as saying.

The quake is centred 30 km beneath the Earth's surface.

It was powerful enough to wake up residents in Auckland, hundreds of kilometers away from the epicenter, Auckland-based journalist Aroha Hathaway said, CNN reported.

 

There were no immediate reports of any injuries.

--IANS

pgh/