Earthquake

Strong earthquakes rock Vanuatu

According to the United States Geological Survey website the first quake, which struck at 6:12pm, measured 6.2 on the Richter scale and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres with its epicentre about 73 kms north north east of Port Vila.

The second measured 5.7 and hit at 6:29pm it was also at a depth of 10kms but its epicentre was a little closer at 75kms north north east of Vila.

Residents in Port Vila were shaken by quakes but so far there have been no reports of any serious damage.

Woman buried by landslide after quake in PNG's Sohe district

The magnitude seven quake struck at a depth of 85 kilometres near the border of Morobe and Oro provinces, off the north coast of New Guinea.

Nohoro Akai from the Oro disaster office said a full assessment of damage to buildings and infrastructure was still pending.

But an initial assessment showed that a number of landslides occurred.

"Actually we had a few landslides that covered much of the river systems, not all of them.

5.1 earthquake hits north-west of Port Vila, Vanuatu

Xinhua reports the epicenter, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 17.2821 degrees south latitude and 167.8058 degrees east longitude.   

The earthquake occured at 10.14am.

 

5.3 magnitude earthquake rattles Gisborne

The shallow quake struck 25km south of Gisborne just before 1pm. It was widely felt in Whakatāne, which is still reeling from the volcanic eruption.

It was 29km deep and felt as far afield as Cambridge, Hunterville, Dannevirke and even Wellington.

Geonet says the earthquake is not related to the White Island eruption and has confirmed it did not trigger a tsunami. Police said there had not yet been any reports of injuries or damage.

Stronger quake rattles Southern California

It struck at the shallow depth of 0.9km (0.6 miles) and its epicentre was near the city of Ridgecrest, about 240km north-east of Los Angeles.

A 6.4 magnitude quake hit the same region on Thursday at a depth of nearly 11km.

As yet, there have been no reports of casualties or of major damage.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said nobody had been killed or injured. A statement after the latest quake said the authorities had seen "no major infrastructure damage" after a survey of the city.

6.2 quake off Santo, Vanuatu

The quake was at a depth of over 100km and struck at 4:13am local time, according to the United States Geological Survey.

There are no reports of damage so far.

     

Deadly earthquake hits China's Sichuan province

The 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck near Yibin in Changning County, south-east of the provincial capital Chengdu, late on Monday, officials said.

It was followed by several powerful aftershocks.

TV footage showed rescuers pulling injured people from the rubble of collapsed buildings.

More than 4,000 people have had to be relocated because their homes were destroyed or damaged, state media reported.

China Central Television showed the aftermath of a landslide that had blocked a road and left a lorry engulfed in debris.

6.7 magnitude quake hits North-Central Chile

The quake struck at a depth of 53 kilometers with an epicenter some 15 km southwest of Coquimbo, USGS said.

An elderly man and an elderly woman from Coquimbo suffered cardiac arrests as a result of the quake, police said, while there were several landslides reported on national highways.

The earthquake, which hit at 0132 GMT (Sunday), was felt in Valparaiso, O'Higgins and the region of the capital Santiago, as well as in Atacama and Coquimbo up north.

Malekula first option for Ambrym volcano evacuation

Pictures posted on social media show major damage to houses and huge cracks in the earth.

The National Disaster Management Office said local authorities are working on relocating those worst affected to safer parts of the island.

NDMO director Shadrack Welegtabit said if the situation worsens then Malekula Island would be the first option for a larger evacuation.

Strong, deep earthquake felt across central New Zealand

GeoNet has reported the quake was a magnitude 6.7, although it was centered at a depth of 193km.

Parliament has been suspended after the quake.

More than 15,000 people have already reported feeling the quake on GeoNet.

GNS Science duty siesmologist Lara Bland warned local residents to expect aftershocks.

Ms Bland said longer, rolling quakes tend to produce fewer aftershocks but there would "certainly" be some coming.

Civil Defence said there is no tsunami threat.