Earthquake of magnitude 6.1 strikes off New Zealand coast

An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale hit New Zealand on Wednesday. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC), the earthquake occurred 78 km northwest of Lower Hutt, near Wellington. Tremors were felt at a depth of 48 km (30 miles), the government's seismic monitor Geonet said. The epicenter of the earthquake was 50 km from the town of Paraparaumu, she said.

No loss of life or damage to property due to the earthquake was reported. New Zealand lies on the seismically active "Ring of Fire", a 40,000 km long arc of volcanoes and oceanic trenches encircling much of the Pacific Ocean. The New Zealand earthquake came almost 10 days after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Syria and Turkey. The number of victims of the earthquake has so far exceeded 41,000.

On Wednesday, Cyclone Gabrielle weakened and moved away from New Zealand as the country began to assess the damage caused by significant flooding, landslides and strong winds that left three people dead. Gabrielle, which made landfall in New Zealand on Sunday, cut off a number of towns, closed roads and left homes under water before making landfall along the east coast of the North Island.

Residents in hard-hit areas are now being asked to conserve water and food amid fears of shortages. The worst of the weather has now cleared and WeatherWatch said in a statement that Cyclone Gabrielle is now east of the country and continuing to track away from the North Island, with weather now improving.