New Zealand earthquake: A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 on the Richter Scale hit the Kermadec Islands in New Zealand on Thursday.
According to the US Geological Survey, the quake was estimated to have been at a depth of 10 km. The agency further said that hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 kilometres of the epicentre.
The latest quake comes a day after a tremor of 6.1 magnitude was felt in the country with epicentre near Wellington on Wednesday. According to GNS Science (GeoNet), the quake had occurred 50 km northwest of Paraparaumu at 7:38 PM (NZDT).
Why New Zealand is prone to earthquakes?
New Zealand is prone to earthquakes as it is located on the boundary of two of the world's major tectonic plates – the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate. However, there is a variation in the level of earthquake activity across the country. Wellington is one of the most active of New Zealand’s seismic regions and Auckland is one of the least active.
The island nation is also on the edge of a zone of intense seismic activity known as the Ring of Fire. According to reports, thousands of earthquakes are recorded each year in and around New Zealand.
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