UPDATE: KiwiRail staff have reopened the Main North, South and Hokitika rail lines after no issues were reported and safety clearances had been given.
KiwiRail are awaiting final clearance on the Stillwater and Midland lines.
Bus replacements were organised for passengers on the TranzAlpine and freight services on the reopened lines have now resumed
This comes after lines were closed between Oamaru and Christchurch, Oaro (south of Kaikoura) and Christchurch, along with the Midland and Stillwater lines.
EARLIER: A magnitude six earth quake has shaken the South Island earlier this morning, followed by a series of aftershocks.
The quake, which was located 30kms west of Arthur’s Pass, was 5km deep and GeoNet, the official source of geological hazard information in New Zealand, measured its intensity as “severe”.
Since the quake GeoNet has reported 30 aftershocks, including three which were greater than magnitude four, in the region.
GeoNet seismologists have confirmed this earthquake was not associated with the Alpine Fault. The Alpine Fault is more than 20 kilometres west of the location of this earthquake.
They added they currently do not know which fault the earthquake was on; it may be one of several already identified faults or a previously unknown fault.
GeoNet took to Twitter this morning, announcing earthquake and revealing it was a magnitude 6.4, but this was later downgraded to 6.0.
GeoNet has reported as of 10:00 a.m, there have already been more than 2,800 Felt reports from as far south as Mandeville to the central North Island.
They added they are still learning more about this quake but we expect aftershocks to continue. In typical aftershock sequences, we can expect the largest aftershock to be up to magnitude 5.0.
There have been no reports of significant damage.
Jason Walls
Tue, 06 Jan 2015
Tue, 06 Jan 2015
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UPDATE: KiwiRail reopens lines after magnitude six earthquake in South Island
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