5.4 magnitude earthquake hits north New Zealand

WELLINGTON: An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 jolted New Zealand’s North Island on Friday evening, according to New Zealand’s geoscience research service provider.

It occurred at 18:07 local time (0507 GMT), striking 20 km southeast of Tokoroa, a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand, at a depth of 159 km, said the GNS Science.

More than 9,000 people reported feeling the quake and there are no reports of casualties so far.

-Xinhua