Media Release 16 August 2007
1pm

No tsunami risk to NZ from Peruvian earthquake

There is no tsunami risk to New Zealand from a large earthquake that occurred shortly before mid-day today off the coast of Peru.

The Director of the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management, John Hamilton, said that the Ministry has received information about the earthquake from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) in Hawaii and GNS Science in New Zealand.

"We will continue monitoring the situation but there are no indications that a tsunami has been generated," Mr Hamilton said.

Mr Hamilton said that PTWC has advised countries on the West coast of Central and South America to be on watch for a tsunami but there are no indications that a tsunami has actually occurred.

"Earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within a hundred kilometres of the earthquake epicentre," PTWC stated.

Earthquake details: 11.41am New Zealand time, magnitude 7.9 on the Richter scale, depth less than 100km, near coast of Peru (13.5 South 76.7 West).

ENDS