5.9 magnitude earthquake jolts New Zealand

An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter Scale struck New Zealand on Saturday, the country's seismic monitoring service GeoNet said.

An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter Scale struck New Zealand on Saturday, the country's seismic monitoring service GeoNet said. The epicentre of the quake, which occurred at 4:34 pm (UTC), was located at a depth of 115 kilometres, about 50 kilometres northwest of Te Kaha, GeoNet added.

There were no immediate reports of injury or damage to property as a result of the quake. New Zealand lies in the 'Ring of Fire', an area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean, which is vulnerable to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. (ANI)