A deep, moderately-strong earthquake struck undersea in the Bay of Plenty early this afternoon.
Tuesday 1st September 2009
GeoNet reports a magnitude 6.0 earthquake located 60 km north of White Island at a depth of 250 km struck at eighteen minutes after midday today. The quake was felt throughout the North Island from Warkworth to Gisborne and Wellington, and as far south as Christchurch. Of the 321 felt reports lodged with GeoNet, more than 150 were reported from Wellington.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports the quake as magnitude 4.5, located 120 km north-north-east of Rotorua (200 km north-north-west of Gisborne) at a depth of 270 km.
The earthquake’s great depth prevented serious damage being caused by such a close event.