Tsunami warning after magnitude 8.1 earthquake in New Zealand

New Zealand has witnessed three strong earthquakes today.

The strongest and most recent was estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey at magnitude 8.1. This caused a tsunami warning to be issued in the Pacific for multiple islands. Even Hawaii is under tsunami surveillance.

The epicenter of the earth’s motion was located at latitude 29.7 ° south, longitude 177.2 degrees west. It is estimated that it occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Earlier, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck northeastern New Zealand waters, prompting an initial tsunami warning that was later withdrawn, with no property damage or casualties.

Later in the day, another magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit the same area.

New Zealand, With a population of 4.6 million, sits on the fault between the tectonic plates of the Pacific and Oceania and records about 14,000 earthquakes each year, of which between 100 and 150 have enough power to be perceived .

On February 22, 2011, 185 people were killed in a magnitude 6.3 earthquake that shook the city of Christchurch on the South Island, causing damage to 30,000 buildings.