Strong Quake Rattles New Zealand

6.3 earthquake causes ‘superficial’ damage and thankfully no major injuries reported

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New Zealanders living in the lower half of the country’s North Island were greeted early on Monday to a minute-long quake that registered as a 6.3 on the Richter scale; however, authorities said there were no reports of major injuries caused by the tremors.

Officials also agreed that most of the damage caused by the tectonic rumblings was largely superficial. “We’ve had a lot of rock falls and slips on highways in the area, and the rest has been pretty minor,” a spokesman at Police National headquarters told Reuters.

At the Wellington Airport, a large model of a flying eagle — part of promotional decoration for the newest installation in the Hobbit trilogy that was filmed in the country — came crashing down during the quake.

[Reuters]