Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes East Coast, likely an aftershock GeoNet says
A Magnitude 6.1 earthquake that rocked the East Coast this evening is likely an aftershock to last month's quake, GeoNet says.
The earthquake was one of two to hit the country this evening. The latest struck at 7.37pm, about 120km east of Te Araroa, and at a depth of 22km. GeoNet described the shaking intensity as moderate and said they have received more than 7000 felt reports.
GeoNet says it is the largest earthquake in the region since an M6.2 on March 6.
It comes after three large earthquakes struck offshore New Zealand on the morning of March 5, all triggering tsunami alerts. The first was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck at 2.27am - 105km east of Te Araroa at a depth of 90km.
This was then followed a few hours later by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck at 6.41am, and an 8.0 magnitude that struck at 8.28 north-east of New Zealand near the Kermadec Islands.
"After a large earthquake, such as the M7.3 East Cape event on 5 March, we expect for there to be further earthquakes in the region some of which may be widely felt," GeoNet said this evening.
