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New Zealand hit by major 7.1 earthquake

The quake strikes 105 miles northeast of Gisborne, New Zealand with a depth of 19.1 miles

Katie Forster
Thursday 01 September 2016 13:06 EDT
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Gisborne City in north east New Zealand
Gisborne City in north east New Zealand (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

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A major earthquake of magnitude 7.1 has struck off the coast of New Zealand, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake hit 105 miles northeast of the city of Gisborne and had a depth of 19.1 miles.

There were no immediate reports of injury or damage.

The quake did not pose any danger of a tsunami on the Pacific coast of Canada or the United States, the US National Tsunami Warning Center said.

Twitter users in New Zealand's North Island reported being woken up by shaking, according to Reuters.

The Chilean Navy also said it did not expect a tsunami on the coast of the South American nation.

The USGS originally reported the quake as a 7.2 magnitude but later downgraded it to 7.1.

Additional reporting by agencies

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