The U.S. Geological Survey has issued a tsunami warning after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off New Zealand's western coast. The USGS says the quake's epicenter was 100 miles (161 kilometers) west of Invercargill, off the west coast of New Zealand's southern island, at a depth of 20.5 kilometers (33 kilometers). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii sent an e-mail alert warning of a possible tsunami in New Zealand. «An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines in the region near the epicenter within minutes to hours,» it was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.
