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<\/p>\nA shallow, powerful earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of New Zealand, with officials warning of a possible tsunami and ordering residents to head for higher ground.<\/p>\n
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The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake hit 180km (111 miles) northeast of the city of Gisborne at 2:27am on Friday (13:27 GMT Thursday).<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone near the coast who felt a LONG or STRONG quake should MOVE IMMEDIATELY to the nearest high ground, or as far inland as you can,\u201d the National Emergency Management Agency said in a tweet.<\/p>\n
The USGS initially pegged the magnitude of the earthquake at 7.3, then revised it down to 6.9. It said the quake occurred at a relatively shallow depth of 10km (6 miles).<\/p>\n
The US Tsunami Warning System predicted waves of 0.3 to 1 metre (1 to 3.3 feet).<\/p>\n
The closest main city to the epicentre is Gisborne with a population of about 35,500. People near the coast from Cape Runaway to Tolaga Bay were told to evacuate.<\/p>\n
Residents of Gisborne reported light to moderate shaking. There were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties.<\/p>\n
\nWe are still assessing whether the M7.3 EAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND earthquake at 2021-03-05 2:27 AM has created a tsunami that could affect New Zealand. We will provide an update as soon as the initial assessment has been completed.<\/p>\n
\u2014 National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) March 4, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n