A series of moderately strong earthquakes rattled New Zealand's North Island on Wednesday morning but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.
Ednews reports citing Reuters that a preliminary magnitude 5.4 quake hit the rural Hawke's Bay region near the town of Dannevirke about 10:15 a.m. and was followed soon after by a preliminary magnitude 5.2 quake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Several milder aftershocks followed. The quakes posed no threat of a tsunami, New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency said.
Near the epicenter, residents reported feeling a severe shaking as items crashed from shelves. Some schools evacuated.
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