New Zealand: Magnitude-5.1 earthquake strikes offshore of South Island at 1707 Feb. 23

Event

A magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurred in the Tasman Sea, southwest of New Zealand's South Island, at 1707 Feb. 23. The epicenter was about 211 km (130 miles) west-southwest of Riverton. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 31 km (19 miles). New Zealand's GeoNet registered the temblor as a magnitude-5.7 quake at a depth of 5 km (3 miles). The tremor reportedly produced strong shaking in southern areas of South Island. Light shaking may have occurred as far away as central South Island. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties. It could take several hours until experts can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Authorities did not issue a tsunami warning for the incident. Aftershocks are possible in the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in onshore areas of the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if officials do not find any damage. Utility outages are possible in some coastal areas near the epicenter.

Advice

Plan accordingly for aftershocks. Allow additional time for transport, as aftershocks may prompt brief disruptions. Seek updated information on road conditions before driving in hilly areas in the affected region due to potential landslides. Out of an abundance of caution vacate multistoried buildings or unreinforced structures in areas where strong shaking occurred.

Resources

GeoNet