Deadly magnitude-7.8 earthquake rocks New Zealand, triggers tsunami

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

November 13,2016; 9:40PM,EST

 

 

A deadly magnitude-7.8 earthquake jolted New Zealand early Sunday morning, generating a tsunami along the east coast of the island.
The shallow quake hit near the coast about 58 miles (93 km) north-northeast of Christchurch and occurred just 14.3 miles (23.0 km) below the earth's surface, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

The earthquake's shallow depth and proximity to the ocean generated tsunami warnings along the east coast of South Island. Residents in low-lying areas were told to move to higher ground.
Cars were gridlocked in Wellington, the nation's capitol, where tsunami sirens wailed and residents hurried to higher ground.
A tsunami was reported along the northeastern coast of South Island, according to the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM).
Waves reached 8.2 feet (2.49 meters) above normal tide levels at Kaikoura, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC).
The greatest tsunami threat has now passed along the east coast of New Zealand, but people are urged to stay away from the beaches, MCDEM stated.
A tsunami is not expected for Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States.
Part of a landslide along Kaikoura Road about two hours north of Christchurch, Monday, Nov. 14, 2016, after a major earthquake struck New Zealand's south Island early Monday. (AP Photo/Angela Morgan)
The earthquake also triggered landslides and caused major damage to roads and buildings across the region with the towns of Kaikoura and Cheviot experiencing some of the worst tremors.
There have been at least two fatalities as a result of the earthquake, according to the Associated Press.
Groceries litter the aisle at the New World, in Miramar area of Wellington, Monday, Nov. 14, 2016, after a major earthquake struck New Zealand's south Island early Monday. (Ross Setford/SNPA via AP)
The earthquake was felt across the entire country, including the city of Christchurch which was hit by a deadly magnitude-6.3 earthquake in 2011, The AP stated.
Dozens of strong aftershocks have rocked the region in the wake of the initial quake, many of which ranging from a magnitude 4.5 to magnitude 6.5.
"Officials said some large buildings were showing signs of structural stress, and the quake would likely have caused a mess in some buildings," the AP said.
The earthquake also lead to localized power and phone outages with the greatest number of outages, especially in areas near the epicenter.
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Cleanup efforts may be hindered this week by rounds of rain across New Zealand.
"A storm system will bring increasing amounts of rain to South Island on Monday, with the heaviest rainfall expected in northern and western areas," AccuWeather Meteorologist Eric Leister said.
"Another round of rain will arrive on Wednesday and Thursday," he added.