Earthquake of magnitude 5.6 jolts New Zealand, no major damage reported

Wanaka: A magnitude-5.6 earthquake jolted the South Island of New Zealand on Monday, but there were no initial reports of major damage or injuries. [caption id=“attachment_2226128” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] The United States Geological Survey put the center of the temblor at 30 kilometers (19 miles) northwest of the town of Wanaka. New Zealand police issued a statement saying that people had reported some instances of broken windows but no major damage. Residents across the South Island reported feeling the quake as a strong, sharp rattle. Fairfax Media reported tourist attraction Puzzling World was evacuated because of the quake. The attraction includes a large maze and rooms of illusion. USGS said the quake struck at about 2:30 pm at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles). Shallow quakes tend to be more strongly felt. Wanaka is home to about 6,500 people. It is popular with tourists, offering nearby skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. New Zealand is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. Associated Press