The quake occurred near the Kermadec Islands, which are believed to be more than 22 kilometers deep in the sea.
A strong earthquake occurred on Thursday afternoon (local time) near the Kermadec Islands, which belong to New Zealand. The US Earthquake Observatory put the earthquake’s magnitude at 7.0. According to information, the earthquake occurred at a depth of more than 22 kilometers in the sea. An initially feared tsunami did not materialize.
The archipelago, which has belonged to New Zealand since 1887, lies about 1,000 kilometers northeast of the Pacific state. The Kermadec Islands are uninhabited.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit New Zealand just a month ago. The center was close to the capital Wellington, at a depth of about 30 miles in the sea, but the tremors were felt in many parts of the country. But there was no major damage.
(APA/dpa)