International press and newswires are reporting that the remote volcanic Kermadec Islands, located in the South Pacific Ocean 800–1’000 km northeast of New Zealand’s North Island are unharmed after a powerful earthquake registering 7.6 struck this morning.
Raoul Island by NASA courtesy of Wikipedia
The islands, which belong to New Zealand, are uninhabited apart from Raoul Island, which has a government weather and radio station and hostel where four scientists and four volunteers main task is to protect the native species by eradicating weeds and animal pests.
Whilst a tsunami warning for the islands , Tonga and New Zealand was first issued by a US agency, it was later cancelled.
For more information, see the Associated Press report at link
Filed by APrice
