New Zealand’s North Island has been struck by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake but thankfully there are no reports of major damage or serious injury so far.
The Kiwi country is located on the boundary of two tectonic plates – the Pacific and Australian plates – and experiences around 14,000 earthquakes a year, with a previous 6.3 magnitude earthquake tragically killing 185 people when it struck the city of Christchurch on the South Island in 2011.
According to a report by the BBC, the quake struck 38km (24 miles) north-east of Masterton at 15:52 local time (02:52 GMT), with residents experiencing major shaking, goods tumbling off shelves and pictures knocked askew. Shaking was also felt across much of central New Zealand, including in the capital, Wellington, where the city’s rail operator Tranz Metro said that all train services would be temporarily suspended as a result of the quake.
A sculpture of a giant eagle suspended from the roof at Wellington airport fell to the ground, local media said. No-one was injured when the sculpture, which was being used to promote the latest installment of The Hobbit films, came down.
Reports that Peter Jackson now wants to make an 18-part film about the eagle statue falling over onto a table are, at this point, unconfirmed.
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