Residents try to free a car stuck in a liquefaction sink hole near Christchurch on after the December 23 earthquake. Picture: Geoff Sloan Source: The Daily Telegraph
- More quakes continue to rattle Christchurch
- Knocked out power in the city
- Tremors 10 days after two strong quakes hit
A ROLLING series of tremors have ensured that earthquake-weary residents in Christchurch, New Zealand, have started their new year much the way they finished the last - with the earth moving.
Data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) showed that a 5.0-magnitude quake struck 18km east-northeast of Christchurch at a depth of 12.1 miles 19.4km at 5:45am local time.
New Zealand's seismic monitoring service, GeoNet, measured the quake as 5.5 - slightly stronger than the USGS data. GeoNet recorded a series of more than a dozen tremors - both prior to and following the 5:45am quake - measuring 3.5-magnitude or higher.
The larger quake knocked out electricity to thousands of residents in Christchurch, news website stuff.co.nz reported. The power supply was later restored.
No major damage or casualties were reported.
The tremors come roughly 10 days after a pair of strong earthquakes - measuring 5.8 and 5.9 - struck near the South Island city, causing widespread damage and sparking evacuations of the city's international airport and major shopping centers.
The quakes were the largest to hit the region in about three months and came 10 months after more than 180 people were killed when a large quake hit Christchurch in February. That earthquake followed a 7.0-magnitude tremor which struck in September, 2010.
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