New Zealand faces aftershocks, minor damage after 5.9-magnitude earthquake

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake hit the centre of New Zealand’s North Island early on July 25, leading to road closures, minor damage and a series of aftershocks.The quake took place around 4.51am, and 73 aftershocks were recorded in the approximately five hours that followed, according to GeoNet, which tracks seismic activity.The organisation labelled the earthquake as “severe” with a depth of 9km and pinpointed its location to 5km south of Taumarunui in the central area of the country’s North Island.“We expect aftershocks to continue, and people will likely feel these as they are occurring at a shallow depth,” GeoNet said in a statement. “Aftershocks are likely to decrease in frequency over the coming days, although there is always the possibility of another earthquake of a similar size or larger occurring.”Civil Defence Manawatu Whanganui said several roads have been closed following the earthquake and urged drivers to take extra care.“At this stage, there are no reports of injuries or major building damage. Power, water and communications systems are all operating. Minor slips have been reported in the area, including on state highways,” the government department said in a statement. BLOOMBERG