Reports of a strong magnitude 6.1 earthquake on the East Cape this afternoon were incorrect, and were the result of a magnitude-6 earthquake some distance from New Zealand.
GNS reported that a magnitude 6.1 quake struck southwest of Tokomaru Bay at a depth of 13km about 4.30pm.
But a GNS Science spokeswoman said this was not the case and it was the result of a magnitude 6 earthquake in the Kermadec Trench hundreds of kilometres to New Zealand's northeast.
