Tsunami hits after strong earthquake hit New Zealand

[Andreea]

Sirens sound in coastal areas and people are told to move to higher ground as a 7.8-magnitude quake triggers a tsunami.

A tsunami has hit coastal communities in New Zealand after a powerful earthquake struck the country's South Island.

New Zealand's civil defence ministry warned people to move to higher ground as the tsunami threat could last for several hours.

The tsunami was described by the ministry as "an event of life-threatening or national significance".

The quake was 7.8-magnitude and hit just midnight local time, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

It hit 57 miles (91km) north of the South Island city of Christchurch, which was badly damaged by in a deadly 6.3-magnitude quake in 2011.

The initial tremor was followed by several aftershocks, further north and also inland - including several above magnitude 6.

Sirens sounded in Christchurch and other towns and cities along the coast as authorities told people to leave their homes and seek safety.

Strong jolts were reported in the capital, Wellington, where several people posted pictures on Twitter of damage to their homes and other buildings.

There are reports that waves of up to 1.5 metres have hit the Kaikoura area and smaller waves hit Castlepoint and Wellington.

The civil defence warned that waves could reach two metres and last for at least two hours.

The service tweeted: "A tsunami has been generated, the first wave has arrived in the North Eastern Coast of the South Island."

It added: "The first wave may not be the largest. Waves may continue for several hours.

"If you are in a low lying area on the East Coast of the North, South or Chatham Islands move immediately to higher ground."

Earlier, the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had said there was no risk of a tsunami from the first quake.

There were reports of traffic jams as people attempted to flee low lying coastal areas.

The country's 111 emergency service was also down for at least ten minutes in some areas and many areas reported power cuts.

New Zealand's Geonet, which describes itself as the official source of geological hazard information for the country, listed dozens of quakes between 6.6 and 3.8 after 12.02am local time.

Hugh Sintes, who lives in Christchurch, told Sky News: "My wife had gone off to the bathroom, I had just lay down on my bed and all of all of a sudden the bed started wobbling and it got more and more intense.

"And I thought 'okay this is getting a bit serious'. It continued on and on - it got quite concerning."

The relatively shallow first quake occurred at a depth of six miles (10km). Shallow tremors are said to be felt more strongly on the surface.

Witnesses in Christchurch have told Sky News that the tremors lasted for a longer time that previous quakes but were less intense.

But others further north described strong shaking, with some calling the feeling "weird".

Rick Kiesseg said on Twitter: "Primary New Zealand #earthquake lasted about a minute. Long, long, long shake and roll. About 17 aftershocks so far, biggest mag 6.1"

The February 2011 earthquake hit just a few miles outside Christchurch, New Zealand's third biggest town, and caused widespread damage and left 185 people dead.