5.3-magnitude quake hits New Zealand day after fatal volcano eruption

A strong 5.3-magnitude quake shook New Zealand’s North Island, just hours after a lethal volcanic eruption killed five and left eight others missing. No damage or casualties have been reported following the latest tremor.

The quake struck at a shallow depth of some 25km (15 miles) around Gisborne on Tuesday, about 150km (93 miles) south of the recently erupted submarine volcano on White Island.

While local news reports said the seism could be felt in neighboring towns – including Cambridge, Hunterville, Dannevirke and Wellington – there are currently no reports of damage or injuries, nor any danger of a tsunami, according to Gisborne Civil Defense Manager Wiremu Tamati.