Strong Quake, Southern Ocean

A strong earthquake struck beneath the Southern Ocean, south of New Zealand late this evening.

Wednesday 6th January 2010

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck 240 km south-west of the Snares Islands, 460 km south-west of Invercargill, at 10:48 this evening, according to GeoNet. The 12 km-deep quake was felt in Otago and Southland.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports the quake as magnitude 5.0 but at a similar location and depth. Geoscience Australia reports the quake at magnitude 5.3 at a depth of 11 km, but closer to the southern coast of the South Island.

[Compiled from data provided by the GeoNet project and its sponsors EQC, GNS Science and FRST; the US Geological Survey and its contributing agencies, and Geoscience Australia.]

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