Severe Damage as earthquake hits New Zealand
Pastor Dale Morgan
Severe Damage as earthquake hits New Zealand*
Sarah Bridge and agencies
Thursday December 20, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
A strong earthquake has hit the east coast of New Zealand, causing power
cuts and damage to buildings but no casualties.
The tremor, measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale, struck at 8.55pm (7.55am
GMT). It was centred 30 miles (48km) off the coast, just south east of
the city of Gisborne on the country's north island.
Authorities said Gisborne had borne the brunt of the quake, but damage
appeared to be largely superficial.
"There's been damage to power, gas and water supplies and there's been
intermittent phone contact," said Vince Cholewa, a spokesman for the
national civil defence.
"We've been told that three buildings have collapsed, but it's been
confirmed there was nobody in them and there are no reports of any
injuries there."
Most services are now working and a few small fires caused by ruptured
gas mains were put out.
The quake, described as a series of sharp shocks with a roaring sound,
was felt widely along the east coast of the north and south islands,
including in the capital Wellington, which is about 280 miles (450km)
south of Gisborne.
Murray McPhail, who lives about six miles from Gisborne, said he could
see waves in his swimming pool as the quake shook.
"You could just about surf on it," McPhail told the NZ Press
Association. "Stuff came out of cupboards, bottles fell off walls,
ornaments fell."
A seismologist said the depth of the quake had limited damage and
minimised any chance of a tsunami.
New Zealand records about 14,000 earthquakes a year, with about 20
registering above 5.0 on the Richter scale. Only 150 are felt by
residents and damage is caused by just 10 a year.
The last fatal earthquake in the geologically active country, caught
between the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates, was in 1968
when an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale killed three
people on the south island's west coast.