A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck 40km north of Te Anau on New Zealand's South Island at 9:14pm local time on Wednesday, prompting authorities to issue an urgent tsunami warning and evacuation order for a 1,340-mile stretch of coastline.
Evacuation Orders Issued
New Zealand Civil Defence urged residents along the south-west coast of the South Island, from Milford Sound to Puysegur Point, to move immediately to higher ground. To prevent gridlock, residents were advised to "walk, run or cycle if at all possible." The national emergency management agency stated, "Do not stay at home. The threat is real."
Tsunami Warning Details
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) warned: "A Tsunami Warning has been issued following the M6.3 earthquake near 40 km north of Te Anau. Land inundation is likely in the following areas. People near the coast must move immediately to the nearest high ground, out of tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible." The earthquake was recorded at a depth of 53km, according to New Zealand authorities.
Seismic Activity and Impact
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the tremor at 5.9 on the Moment magnitude scale, with an epicenter 42km north-north-west of Te Anau at a depth of 76.397 km, located within Fiordland National Park, a popular tourist destination. NEMA cautioned: "The first wave may not be the largest. Tsunami activity will continue for several hours and the threat is real until this warning is cancelled."
Public Safety Instructions
Residents in areas who felt a long or strong earthquake that made it hard to stand up or lasted longer than a minute were instructed to move immediately to high ground. NEMA and ESNZ Science continue to assess the threat and will provide a threat map as soon as possible.
