5.9 Earthquake Hits Christchurch
- Publish date
- Sunday, 14 Feb 2016, 1:55PM
Dust from whitewash head cliff collapse near Sumner. Photo / Andrew Watson
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake has struck at a depth of 31km, 15km east of Christchurch this afternoon.
Geonet said the quake hit at 1.13pm.
The severe earthquake was followed by another, moderate quake with a 3.5km magnitude at 1.17pm, 10km north-east of the city.
Several smaller aftershocks followed over the next five minutes in the same area.
The Fire Service said there were no reports of structural damage on 111 as yet. However, some fire alarms had activated.
A spokeswoman at the southern fire communications centre said they felt the quake but had not yet received any calls and didn't know if any buildings had fallen.
Here's a cell-friendly crop of @twieberneit's photo of Christchurch cliff collapse #eqnz pic.twitter.com/G32RNBJIGM
— Seǝn Gillespie (@SeanDG) February 14, 2016
Christchurch Live said a cliff had collapsed in Sumner and power has been lost to 450 customers between Burwood and Spencerville and at 100 homes in Akaroa.
St John spokesman Ian Henderson said they had received a number of calls from people who have fallen as a result of today's 5.9 earthquake.
At this stage we have no reports of serious injuries, or serious damage.
