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A Pacific-wide tsunami watch was issued after a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck near New Zealand’s remote Kermadec Islands, following two previous powerful earthquakes.
New Zealand ordered coastal evacuations when the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that waves of up to three meters were possible in the Pacific region nations of Vanuatu and the French territory of New Caledonia.
“Based on all available data, dangerous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts,” he said.
He said smaller waves were possible as far away as Japan, Russia, Mexico and the South American coast.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.8, which followed previous tremors of 7.4 and 6.9 in the same region, occurred at 8:28 am local time (7.28 pm Irish time) about 1,033 kilometers from the coast from New Zealand, the United States Geological Survey said.
“People close to shore … should immediately move to the nearest high ground, outside of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible,” said New York’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Zeeland.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said dangerous waves were possible in New Zealand, Tonga, Niue, American Samoa, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tokelau and Wallis and Fortuna.
NEMA warned residents: “Don’t stay home.”
“The earthquake may not have been felt in some of these areas, but evacuation should be immediate as a damaging tsunami is possible,” he said.
No damage or injuries were reported from previous earthquakes, which generated tsunami warnings that were later lifted.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was one of the people given an early morning wake-up.
“I hope everyone is okay, especially on the east coast, who would have felt the full force of that earthquake,” he posted on Instagram after the initial shaking.
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Tsunami warning sirens sounded and thousands of New Zealanders on the east coast of the North Island were evacuated to higher ground after the third earthquake.
Civil defense officials were on the ground to help people evacuate as workers, students and residents fled in areas like Northland and the Bay of Plenty.
There were no reports of damage or casualties from the previous earthquakes.
NEMA said the first waves would hit the north coast of New Zealand around 9:45 a.m. locally.
He said the threatened areas were from the Bay of Islands to Whangarei, from Matata to Tolaga Bay, including Whakatane and Opotiki, and Great Barrier Island.
“We want everyone to take this threat seriously. Go to high ground,” Whangarei Mayor Sheryl Mai told state broadcaster TVNZ.
Warnings were also issued for other Pacific islands such as Tonga, American Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, Hawaii, and others.
Australia issued a marine tsunami threat to Norfolk Island, but said there was no threat to the mainland.
Chile said it could experience a minor tsunami.
The 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck New Zealand’s eastern North Island was felt by more than 60,000 people across the country, with many describing the quake as “severe.”
Aftershocks were still being recorded in the area.
New Zealand is located in the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where tectonic plates collide and experience frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
The South Pacific nation recently marked the 10th anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake, when a 6.3 earthquake killed 185 in the South Island city.
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