16-08-2013, 11:07 AM
A severe earthquake has shaken the Wellington region this afternoon.
After its initial report, GNS reported on its website that the quake was 6.2, and only 8km deep, 10km southeast of Seddon, near the coast in Marlborough.
GNS seismologist Bill Fry said it was not immediately clear what the exact magnitude of the shake was as data continued to come in, but it was likely to be "in the upper 6s''.
He said it was a "very strong, shallow shake'' which was widely felt.
The strongest shaking was recorded in Wellington.
It was probably a bit to the south of the quakes of two weeks ago.
"Anecdotally, I was sitting in my office chair in the same spot and I thought this had longer duration than the shakes of two weeks ago.
"Scientifically, if it gets above the magnitude of the largest one two weeks ago then this becomes the main shocks and those become foreshocks.''
By that, he meant that this could be "the main event'' and the previous shakes could have been leading up to this.
The large quake has been followed by a series of aftershocks.
There were reports of a house collapsing near Seddon after the quake.
Wellington had also lost cellphone coverage.
Ambulance central communications said they had yet to receive any calls related to the earthquake.
TranzMetro said it had immediately stopped all train services in the capital. Wellington's railway station had been evacuated.
Wellington Airport's runway has been inspected and is back open, although travelers are advised to check with their airline or airport website for flight status.
No tsunami threat has been issued.
A fire communications spokesman said so far there had been no reports of damage in Wellington, just alarm activations around the city. There is also one person stuck in a lift.
There were reports power was cut in the suburb of Karori.
New Zealand Herald political columnist John Armstrong said the earthquake was felt strongly in Parliament.
He was about to dive under his desk when the the almost-30 second shake stopped.
He said his partner had felt it more strongly on the sixth floor of the Ministry of Social Development building nearby.
Josh Maxwell, a 26-year-old builder, was working on the third floor of a building on Waring Taylor street when the quake hit. He was on a piece of scaffolding on the inside of the building.
"It was a good jolt. The first tremor hit, then there was the second one and I was halfway in [to the building then out].
"I just thought it was a truck going past.''
Mr Maxwell and his workmates streamed out onto the streets, joining many other central Wellington workers, when the quake hit.
Twitter users said they felt the quake as far away as Auckland and Christchurch.
After its initial report, GNS reported on its website that the quake was 6.2, and only 8km deep, 10km southeast of Seddon, near the coast in Marlborough.
GNS seismologist Bill Fry said it was not immediately clear what the exact magnitude of the shake was as data continued to come in, but it was likely to be "in the upper 6s''.
He said it was a "very strong, shallow shake'' which was widely felt.
The strongest shaking was recorded in Wellington.
It was probably a bit to the south of the quakes of two weeks ago.
"Anecdotally, I was sitting in my office chair in the same spot and I thought this had longer duration than the shakes of two weeks ago.
"Scientifically, if it gets above the magnitude of the largest one two weeks ago then this becomes the main shocks and those become foreshocks.''
By that, he meant that this could be "the main event'' and the previous shakes could have been leading up to this.
The large quake has been followed by a series of aftershocks.
There were reports of a house collapsing near Seddon after the quake.
Wellington had also lost cellphone coverage.
Ambulance central communications said they had yet to receive any calls related to the earthquake.
TranzMetro said it had immediately stopped all train services in the capital. Wellington's railway station had been evacuated.
Wellington Airport's runway has been inspected and is back open, although travelers are advised to check with their airline or airport website for flight status.
No tsunami threat has been issued.
A fire communications spokesman said so far there had been no reports of damage in Wellington, just alarm activations around the city. There is also one person stuck in a lift.
There were reports power was cut in the suburb of Karori.
New Zealand Herald political columnist John Armstrong said the earthquake was felt strongly in Parliament.
He was about to dive under his desk when the the almost-30 second shake stopped.
He said his partner had felt it more strongly on the sixth floor of the Ministry of Social Development building nearby.
Josh Maxwell, a 26-year-old builder, was working on the third floor of a building on Waring Taylor street when the quake hit. He was on a piece of scaffolding on the inside of the building.
"It was a good jolt. The first tremor hit, then there was the second one and I was halfway in [to the building then out].
"I just thought it was a truck going past.''
Mr Maxwell and his workmates streamed out onto the streets, joining many other central Wellington workers, when the quake hit.
Twitter users said they felt the quake as far away as Auckland and Christchurch.