Magnitude-4.5 Earthquake Hits Central New Zealand

A moderately strong earthquake struck central New Zealand on Sunday, Nov. 12.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake registered 4.5 on the Richter scale, hitting at a depth of 40.1 kilometers (24 miles).

It hit between North and South islands.

More than 11,000 people “felt it,” according to GeoNet, as reported by Stuff.co.nz.

It’s not clear if the quake caused any damage.

On social media users sounded off.

https://twitter.com/samanthawulff/status/929658456163807232

https://twitter.com/grantrobertson1/status/929658466003664896

Hope everyone's doing OK in/around Wellington after that rattle! Remember to drop, cover, hold #EQNZ https://t.co/zp7H8qNZ08

— National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) November 12, 2017

That was quite a shake in Welly #eqnz

— Brett Hudson (@bhudson_nz) November 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/max_tweedie/status/929657966873141248

New Zealand is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” basin, lined with around 75 percent of the world’s total active volcanoes.

About 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes strike along the “Ring of Fire,” according to the USGS.