New Zealand issues tsunami warning after powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake strikes off northeastern coast

Wellington: Officials in New Zealand issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas after a shallow, powerful earthquake struck off the northeastern coast on Thursday night. There were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties. New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency warned of a tsunami threat along the east of the country’s North Island from the quake, which it measured at magnitude 7.3. The US Tsunami Warning System predicted waves of 0.3 to 1 meter (1 to 3.3 feet). The US Geological Survey said the quake measured magnitude 6.9. It said it was centered at a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles) under the ocean about 178 kilometers northeast of the city of Gisborne. Residents of Gisborne reported light to moderate shaking, it said. A magnitude 6.3 quake hit the city of Christchurch in 2011, killing 185 people and destroying much of its downtown.