Magnitude 7.4 tremor hits N. Zealand, no tsunami threat

A powerful earthquake of 7.4 magnitude shook the northeastern coast of New Zealand on Thursday, the state-run media said.

According to Radio New Zealand, the authorities placed preliminary vacation warning.

"Civil Defense is asking coastal residents from the East Coast, up to eastern Northland, who felt it 'long and strong' to move to higher ground as a precaution," it reported.

The government research agency GNS Science is still evaluating the tsunami threat from the quake, it added.

However, the National Emergency Management Agency said in a recent update: “There is no tsunami threat to New Zealand following the M7.4 SOUTH OF THE KERMADEC ISLANDS earthquake.

“Based on current information, the initial assessment is that the earthquake is unlikely to have caused a tsunami that will pose a threat to New Zealand.”

This is developing story.

* Writing by Islamuddin Sajid