New Zealand: Tsunami threat remains following magnitude-6.9 earthquake in Pacific Ocean off the coast of northeastern New Zealand at 0227 NZDT March 5. /update 1

Event

A tsunami threat remains for portions of coastal New Zealand following a magnitude-6.9 earthquake, which occurred in the South Pacific Ocean off the coast of northeastern North Island, New Zealand at about 0227 NZDT March 5. Tsunami waves of 0.3-1 meters (1-3.3 feet) above the tide level are possible across portions of coastal New Zealand. Additionally, tsunami waves of up to 0.3 meters (1 foot) above the tide level are possible across the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kermadec Islands, New Caledonia, Niue, Tonga, and Vanuatu. Authorities urge individuals in low-lying coastal areas to seek higher ground immediately.

The epicenter was approximately 178 km (111 miles) northeast of Gisborne, New Zealand. The tremor occurred at a depth of approximately 10 km (6 miles), and moderate-to-strong shaking was probably felt close to the epicenter in far northeastern North Island. Weak-to-moderate shaking was probably felt across New Zealand. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is possible in areas close to the epicenter. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Additional aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if officials find no damage. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.

Advice

Move away from the immediate coastline; tsunamis can be long-duration events, and the threat may persist for hours. Vacate multistoried buildings or unreinforced structures in areas where strong shaking occurred; aftershocks could cause additional damage. Cellular networks may be overwhelmed; use text messaging if services are available. Due to the threat of landslides, seek updated information on road conditions before driving in hilly areas in the affected area.