Magnitude 6.8 earthquake shakes New Zealand

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 struck south of New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, on Friday, sending panicked workers and residents into the streets.

The quake is coming just weeks after a similar size quake struck the city.

The quake, which hit near the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, was at a depth of about 10 km, according to NZ Geonet.

While fire authorities said it was too early to assess the impact, there were some reports of superficial damage to buildings from the quake.

It, however, did not cause a wider tsunami alert, but sent items tumbling from shop shelves.

Air and rail services were being suspended while officials checked tracks and runways for damage.

PUNCH