A 5.3-magnitude earthquake Tuesday shook New Zealand's North Island, 129 miles south-southeast of Auckland, but there were no immediate reports of damage, UPI reported. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at 3:36 p.m. local time at a depth of more than 100 miles. The New Zealand Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences measured the quake's intensity at 6.5-magnitude. Local reports said the deep-rolling quake west of Taupo was felt widely both in the North and South Islands including Christchurch, which is recovering from the Feb. 22 magnitude-6.3 quake that killed about 180 people and caused billions in damage. Radio New Zealand quoted scientists as saying because of quake's depth it was felt more in other places throughout the North Island including Wellington, Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth and Nelson. Experts said the quake occurred where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates meet.
