Strong 5.6 Earthquake shakes New Zealand’s North Island

New Zealand has been hit by a 5.6 magnitude earthquake off North Island, USGS reports, just hours after Japan suffered a 7.4 magnitude jolt and a series of aftershocks off the Fukushima coast which unleashed tsunami waves. The earthquake, initially estimated at magnitude 6.3, was registered at a depth of 37km (23 miles) and centered off the coast of North

Island, some 121km (75 miles) from Palmerston North. Tuesday’s quake comes amid a tsunami scare in Japan and just over a week after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck South Island on November 14, also triggering a tsunami and a series of aftershocks which left at least two people dead. READ MORE