New Zealand earthquake: Powerful tremor hits South Island. m 7.8

[Blizzardnh]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37967178

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude-7.8 quake hit just after midnight (11:02 GMT on Sunday), some 95km (59 miles) from Christchurch.

The ministry of civil defence has warned a tsunami may hit the eastern coast of the North Island "shortly".

Residents have been told to head inland or for higher ground along the entire eastern coast.

"The first wave may not be the largest. Tsunami activity will continue for several hours," the ministry tweeted.

New Zealand lies on the notorious Ring of Fire, the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.

Christchurch is still recovering from the 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people and destroyed the city centre.

[Gefn]

Prayers up

[TomSea]

I think 7.8 means a huge hit.

[Gefn]

I think 7.8 means a huge hit.

I'm seeing large 6 plus aftershocks on my earthquake app.

[mystery-ak]

http://news.trust.org/item/20161113113702-re5f9
Tsunami hits New Zealand after massive quake

[Gefn]

My earthquake app just reported a 6.2 in Argentina.

[Quix]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11747414

Hammer Springs area in North Canterbury

USGS upgraded it to 7.8

3 quakes over 6.x

5 quakes over 5.x

10 km deep

at least 50 quakes this morning.

a train trapped.

Some casualties so far . . . at least 2 confirmed dead. One man died of heart attack in Christchurch.

Some tsunami warnings . . . some reports of 6' high or higher tsunami's.

Power is out in many areas.

Roads are damaged.

Ongoing aftershocks.


Hunkered down in supermarket carpark:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11747468

Tsunami hits NZ after powerful 7.8 mag earthquake:

http://news.sky.com/story/tsunami-hits-after-powerful-earthquake-strikes-new-zealand-10655977

[Gefn]

Thanks for the detailed update @Quix.
 

[Quix]

Thanks for the detailed update @Quix.
 

Certainly. Prayers for those locally.

I hope to continue to update off and on after lunch until I go to bed.

Others can certainly feel free to update, as well.

[Sanguine]

7.8 is crazy.  Prayers up.

[Quix]

CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/11/13/new-zealand-earthquake-update.cnn

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GEONET:

http://www.geonet.org.nz/quakes/latest

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CHRISTCHURCH RAW VIDEO 7.8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNw4d_Db-pY

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NZ NEWS NOW:

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand

Several videos

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Am having trouble getting those videos to play in Fire Fox. Not sure about other browsers.

Sorry.

[Quix]

NZ HERALD OFFICIAL SITE:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/

[Quix]

List of pics and articles at

NDTV site:

http://www.ndtv.com/topic/new-zealand-tsunami

NZ.COM OFFICIAL SITE:

http://www.nz.com/news/

[Quix]

Animated map of NZ 7.8 quake aftershocks:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/86434178/earthquake-the-quake-swarm-that-followed-the-big-one

[Quix]

News snippets related to NZ 7.8 quake from NZ Civil Defense:

https://twitter.com/MarlEmergency

[Quix]

Pic of landslide from 7.8 quake blocking a river

https://twitter.com/Watchmanz/status/797932636844892160/photo/1

[Quix]

Dr Christopher Henry from Kaikoura Hospital:

"WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW"

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/86416547/Earthquake-What-you-need-to-know?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

BTW,

parts of So Island moved 2 meters to the North during the quake.
That's quite a jump for a considerable chunk of land. I don't  know how big an area, yet.

[Quix]

A bunch of still pics of NZ quake events if  you scroll down:

https://twitter.com/NZStuff

[Quix]

Quake damaged roads

There are some rather startling road pics in this group


http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/86434437/driving-difficult-on-earthquake-damaged-roads

[Smokin Joe]

Prayers up!

[Quix]

@Smokin Joe,

AMEN! Thanks.

Here's another bit more detailed animated map:

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php

[Quix]

http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=237114&cat=1005&fm=newsmain%2Cnarts

New Zealand seismologists say the powerful magnitude-7.5 earthquake that struck off the south island was less destructive than the smaller magnitude-6.2 Christchurch earthquake in 2011 — but why?

.

.
. . .
"The 2011 one had a number of factors that came into play that caused it to be so destructive ... the main factor is how close it was to the city and the amount of very high frequency, strong type of motion that earthquake generated."
.
Yesterday's earthquake killed at least two people and prompted a tsunami warning, sending thousands fleeing to higher ground. The 2011 quake caused 185 fatalities and left the city in ruins.
.
"The epicentre for this earthquake was further away from any major population centres in New Zealand so it was probably about halfway between Christchurch and Wellington," he said.
.
"It didn't generate the really strong high-frequency type of motion which is the kind of thing that really causes buildings to collapse — still, this earthquake was probably 50, 60 times larger than the Christchurch earthquake."
.
. . .
GeoNet New Zealand seismologist Caroline Little told 774 ABC Melbourne there had been hundreds of aftershocks which would continue for weeks, maybe even months.
.
"Current numbers are 244 aftershocks, so they're going to continue for, most likely, weeks to months," she said.
.
"They're going to become less frequent in the coming weeks but they will continue for quite a while."
.
Yesterday's powerful earthquake was actually two quakes, about 50 kilometres apart.
.
. . .

[Quix]

New images from the quake . . . city streets mostly . . . at least first parts.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUs8CnMlLJQ

[Quix]

'Live' updates on the quake here:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/86416304/live-north-canterbury-quake

[Quix]

There's some very interesting and unusual geological pics after the quake here . . . seabed rising startlingly high out of the water etc.

https://twitter.com/hashtag/earthquakenz?src=hash