Powerful quake strikes near Christchurch, New Zealand

A powerful earthquake struck New Zealand near the city of Christchurch, with strong jolts felt over 200 kilometers (120 miles) away in the capital, Wellington.

There are no immediate reports of major damage or injuries. There was no immediate danger of a tsunami, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

The magnitude-7.4 quake struck just after midnight Sunday and was centered 93 kilometers (57 miles) northeast of Christchurch, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).

Earthquakes tend to be more strongly felt on the surface when they’re shallow.

New Zealand sits on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes are common. An earthquake in 2011 in Christchurch killed 185 people.

— AP

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