TheNew Zealand government on Friday downgraded a tsunami warning and saidthat "all people who evacuated can now return" after three massiveoffshore quakes jolted the country's North Island one after another overnight.
Earlierin the day, the National Emergency Management Agency urged locals to moveimmediately to the nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, oras far inland as possible and not to stay at home until further message fromthe authorities, following an 8.1-magnitude earthquake at about 8.30 a.m. nearthe Kermadec Islands, Xinhua news agency.
Another7.4-magnitude quake jolted Raoul Island, the largest island of the KermadecIslands, at 6.41 a.m.
Largecoastal areas including the north and the east part of the North Island wereaffected.
Anothermassive 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck at 2.27 a.m. local time, about 95 kmeast of Te Araroa, the far northeast point of the North Island.
Itcaused "severe" shaking and sparked tsunami warnings, reported GeoNetNZ. Thequake was defined as "terrifying" and "biggest one" bylocals. Joltswere felt throughout much of the country.
Trainswere halted and lines across eastern parts of the North Island closed ahead oftrack inspection for possible quake damage.
NewZealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern posted on Instagram: "Hope everyoneis ok out there."
Lastweek, New Zealand marked the 10th anniversary of the 6.3 magnitude earthquakethat destroyed parts of Christchurch, killing 185 people.
Earthquakesoccur frequently in New Zealand as the country is situated in the collisionzone between the Indo-Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, part of thePacific Ring of Fire, where many earthquakes and volcanoes occur.