Seismologists Warn Of More Quakes In New Zealand

(@rukhshanmir)

Seismologists warn of more quakes in New Zealand

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Nov, 2016 ) - Seismologists in New Zealand said Friday that this week's 7.8 earthquake was one of the most complex ever recorded and warned there was a high likelihood of further powerful aftershocks.

As a massive clean-up continued following the tremor that claimed two lives early Monday, scientists were coming to grips with the "astonishing" scale of the seismic seizure. The official GeoNet science agency said the land moved up to 11 metres (36 feet) along the many faultlines in the South Island disaster zone, permanently changing the region's geography.

The quake also pushed up the seabed by as much as two metres along a 110 kilometre (70 mile) stretch of coastline that includes the tourist town of Kaikoura.

GeoNet said the quake ruptured at least four faults and was "clearly...

one of the most complex earthquakes that has ever been observed". New Zealand is on the boundary of the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, which form part of the so-called "Ring of Fire", and experiences up to 15,000 tremors a year.

There have been well over 2,000 aftershocks since Monday and the agency said statistical analysis showed residents should prepare for more major shakes in the coming weeks.