Radio New Zealand
Wellington, December 28, 2016
Central New Zealand has been shaken by another strong aftershock this afternoon, with a magnitude 5.5 quake hitting near Seddon, followed soon afterwards by a 4.7 aftershock.
The earthquake was centred 35 kilometres east of Seddon, at a depth of 17 kms.
It struck at 334 pm, according to GeoNet.
The shake was felt in Wellington.
GeoNet has rated the intensity of today’s earthquake as ‘severe’.
It was followed by a ‘strong’ 4.7-magnitude quake in the same area at 4 pm. GeoNet said it was centred in the same spot as the previous shock, at a depth of 15 kms.
The area has been hit by hundreds of aftershocks in the wake of the 7.8-magnitude quake that struck in November.
A farmer in Ward, Tom Loe, described the initial quake today as long and rolling.
He said it gave him plenty of time to get to his young children, to check if they were all right.
KiwiRail said all of its trains in the Wellington region momentarily stopped after the quake, but quickly resumed.
© RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Today’s earthquake struck near Seddon, which is still dealing with the effects of the 7.8-magnitude quake in November.
