Tsunami warning following the magnitude 8.1 earthquake in New Zealand

New Zealand has experienced three strong earthquakes today.

The strongest and most recent was estimated by the United States Geological Survey at magnitude 8.1. This led to the issuance of a Pacific tsunami warning for several 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 took place at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Earlier, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the waters of northeastern New Zealand, causing an initial tsunami warning that was later withdrawn without any damage or casualties.

Later that day, another 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the same area.

New Zealand, with a population of 4.6 million, lies in 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 are strong enough 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, and damaged 30,000 buildings.