KEY POINTS:
A large earthquake which struck in the Southern Ocean last night was widely felt throughout the lower South Island.
The 7.4 quake was recorded at 6.23pm and was located about 200 kilometres from the sub-antarctic Auckland Islands.
A spokesman from the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences says the quake was also felt in Bluff, Dunedin, and Queenstown.
Locals reported feeling gentle and slow rolling motion, which lasted about six seconds.
There have been no reports of damage.
The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management issued a tsunami advisory, but it was withdrawn a short time later.
A second quake in the same general area struck at 10.47 last night.
It measured 6.8 and was located 230 kilometres south-west of the Snares Islands or 440 km south-west of Invercargill, at a depth of 12 kilometres.
- NEWSTALK ZB
