Strong quake hits north New Zealand

A strong earthquake struck off the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island on Tuesday, shaking residents across a wide area and toppling goods from shelves but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injury.

The 7.0 magnitude quake was centered 170 km northwest of the capital Wellington at a depth of 230 km. The US Geological Service earlier reported the tremor at a 6.2 magnitude.

There was no tsunami warning issued. The quake was felt throughout central New Zealand, sparking a flurry of activity on social network sites, but local media reported only minor damage. “It was a good shake but we see no damage,”a spokeswoman at the Opunake police station said.