Yet another significant aftershock has rattled Canterbury and surrounding South Island regions this evening.

Shortly after 5pm a magnitude 4.5 quake hit just 20kms west of Christchurch under the Canterbury Plains.

It was 10kms deep.

GeoNet says the quake was felt in mid Canterbury but WeatherWatch.co.nz has received a report of the quake being felt on the West Coast too. 

WeatherWatch.co.nz reader Dale Small says the quake was “noticeably felt” in Greymouth.

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Earlier story

A significant aftershock has rattled Christchurch and Canterbury this morning.

The magnitude 5.5 quake had a focal depth of 15km and was centred 20km southwest of Christchurch.

WeatherWatch.co.nz weather analyst Richard Green said it “packed a punch” and was felt across Canterbury and as far as the West Coast.

Herald reporter Jarrod Booker described the aftershock, which struck at 9.09am, as a “heavy, violent” shake and said it lasted for around 20 to 30 seconds.

Flights in and out of the airport appear to be operating as normal according to the airport’s website.

Riccarton resident Annette Pendergast told nzherald.co.nz she was surprised how long the aftershock lasted.

“It went on for a long long time. It was the longest I’ve ever felt one. I don’t usually have time to reach a doorway but I was in a doorway today. I think it was roughly 30-40 seconds.”

Mrs Pendergast said she still had power and that there were no sirens going off in her neighbourhood, though there was a helicopter buzzing overhead.

Lines company Orion said there had been no power outages reported as a result of this morning’s aftershock.

Newstalk ZB’s Amanda South says it was the biggest aftershock she’s experienced since the big quake on February 22nd.

Amanda South expects the shake will have caused more damage in the city.
 

– WeatherWatch.co.nz with NZHerald.co.nz and NewstalkZB

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