Tsunami activity warning issued for New Zealand after 7.7 quake near New Caledonia

A warning of “tsunami activity” has been issued by Nema after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck near the Loyalty Islands on Friday afternoon.

The National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) said: “We expect New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore following a magnitude 7.7 earthquake southeast of Loyalty Island at 3.57pm.”

“Strong currents and surges can injure and drown people. There is a danger to swimmers, surfers, people fishing, and anyone in or near the water close to shore.

”People in or near the sea in the following areas should move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, marinas, rivers and estuaries.”

Nema says areas under threat are:

• The West Coast of the North Island from Cape Reinga to Whanganui including the West Coast of Auckland, Manukau Harbour and New Plymouth.
• The east coast of the North Island from Cape Reinga to Tolaga Bay including Whangārei, Great Barrier Island, the east coast of Auckland, Waiheke Island, Waitematā Harbour, Tauranga, Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki.
• The west coast of the South Island from Farewell Spit to Milford Sound including Westport, Greymouth and Hokitika.

The first tsunami activity causing these strong currents and surges may reach areas around North Cape at about 5pm.

This may be later and the first tsunami activity may not be the most significant.

“The situation may change as new information becomes available,” said a Nema spokesperson.

People are advised to listen to the radio or TV for updates, or check civildefence.govt.nz.

Closer to the epicentre, a tsunami alert has been issued for coasts within 1000km of a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck near the Loyalty Islands on Friday afternoon.

The US National Tsunami Warning Center issued the alert after the earthquake, the epicentre of which lies between Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Aotearoa is about 2300km away from the Island, which are near New Caledonia, about 150km off its east coast.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake had a depth of 38 km.