The tremor hit the South Island but so far there have been no reports of tsunamis or damage on the mainland, as it occurred 126 miles off the coast of NZ’s most southern city, Invercargill, at a depth of 11 miles.

The quake follows several recent scares in New Zealand which have caused flooding and building damage. New Zealanders fear a repeat of last February’s event when 181 people were killed in the city of Christchurch.

Main image: The coast of New Zealand near Invercargill (Getty)