Tsunami hits New Zealand after series of strong quakes
WELLINGTON - An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck central New Zealand just after midnight (1102 GMT Sunday), the U.S. Geological Survey said, generating a tsunami that hit the northeast coast of the South Island.
New Zealand's Civil Defence warned residents along the country's entire east coast to seek higher ground.
Anna Kaiser, a seismologist at GNS Science said a tidal signal or surge of up to one metre (3 feet) had been recorded in North Canterbury region of the South Island.
"That's reasonably significant so people should take this seriously," she told Radio New Zealand.
