Strong earthquake hits New Zealand

The 6.3-magnitude quake’s epicenter was about 115 kilometers (71 miles) northeast of Wellington, the country’s capital, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated. It hit at a depth of about 27 kilometers (17 miles), the agency said.

It struck just before 4 p.m. and was followed by a series of weaker aftershocks.
There were no immediate reports of casualties. But power was down and water mains had burst in the small town of Eketahuna, Steve Atkin, a resident at a hotel in the town, told CNN affiliate TVNZ.
Some residents of the region reported on social media that furniture in their homes had suffered damage, TVNZ said.
The earthquake was felt at Wellington Airport, the broadcaster reported.
New Zealand sits at the southwestern edge of the Pacific “ring of fire,” an area of high seismic and volcanic activity that stretches up through Japan, across to Alaska and down the west coasts of North and South America.