Thousands flee homes as earthquake strikes New Zealand

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck central New Zealand just after midnight, the U.S. Geological Survey said, causing widespread damage and generating a tsunami.

Thousands of people along New Zealand’s east coast fled their homes to head for higher ground as emergency services warned of destructive waves of up to five meters in some areas.

“The first waves have arrived but we know that it is too early to say what the impact has been,” said Sarah Stuart-Black, national controller at the Ministry of Civil Defence.

“Our concern is what is coming. Future waves are coming may be bigger than what has come before.”

St. John Ambulance said it was sending helicopters carrying medical and rescue personnel to near the epicentre of the quake, 91 km north-northeast of Christchurch, where a 6.3 quake in 2011 killed 185 people, on New Zealand’s South Island.

“We are starting to get reports of injuries from the earthquake area, including Culverden area and Kaikoura,” Dion Rosario, St John Incident Controller, said in a statement.

“However, at this stage we do not have specifics.”

Police said they were investigating reports of a collapsed building in the coastal tourist town of Kaikoura.