16 muesli bars bite the dust as New Zealand shrugs off 7.1 magnitude quake

A magnitude-7.1 earthquake rattled the coast of New Zealand’s North Island on Friday morning, triggering a small tsunami. The quake rattled buildings as it struck just over 160km (100 miles) north-east of the city of Gisborne. It was widely felt throughout the North Island and was followed by a series of aftershocks. Officials issued a tsunami warning but after waves of 30cm were recorded the alert was withdrawn. There were no injuries reported with many New Zealanders treating the incident with a shrug and joking that the only casualties were a few photo frames shaken from the walls.

Only about 16 muesli bars and some ice cream cones has fallen off the top shelves

Liz Koia, owner of a convenience store in Te Araroa

Monitors said there were 28 aftershocks in the hour following the quake. Two of these were described as severe - measured at 5.6 and 6.2 magnitude. Anyone living near the coast in the area was warned to leave their homes, take their radio with them and immediately go to higher ground. Most residents were unmoved as earthquakes are commonplace in the area. Tenga Apiata, who was in the coastal settlement of Hicks Bay, did run to a motel for safety with his partner and son. He said: “That’s the biggest quake we’ve ever had. I’ve been here for 20 something years. I jumped up and saved our TV because that was ready to fall over and smash.”

This was long and enough to get me out of bed and into the doorway and enough to actually get the dog up and barking

MP and cabinet minister Anne Tolley was disturbed by the quake… mildly

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