16 October 2007
Fiordland earthquake no tsunami risk to NZ
There is no tsunami risk to New Zealand from a shallow earthquake strongly felt in the lower South Island early this
morning.
The Director of the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management, John Hamilton, said that the Ministry has received information about the earthquake from the
Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) in Hawaii and GNS Science in New Zealand.
PTWC issued a bulletin stating that there is no tsunami risk to Pacific coastlines and GNS Science has confirmed there
was no localised tsunami.
"The Southland civil defence emergency managemant group advised that many people were woken by the earthquake but, to
date, there are no reports of damage or injury caused by the quake," Mr Hamilton said.
Earthquake details: 1.30am New Zealand time, magnitude 6.7 on the Richter scale, depth 24km, 60km west of Milford Sound
(44.68S 167.12E).
ENDS