26 Jul 2016

Strong quake strikes near Haast

8:13 am on 26 July 2016

A strong earthquake has struck near Haast on the South Island's west coast.

The magnitude 5 tremor hit at 7.42am and was centred 45km north west of Haast and was at a depth of 12km.

The quake north west of Haast struck at 7.424am on Tuesday.

The quake north west of Haast struck at 7.424am on Tuesday. Photo: GeoNet

The tremor was felt in the region with 79 people recorded on the GeoNet website as noticing a light or moderate jolt.

It was the second quake in the South Island in two hours, after a light 3.0 tremor was recorded 5km north of Queenstown at a depth of 13km at 5.42am.