A Civil Defence tsunami warning ordering residents of the Southland and Fiordland coastlines to evacuate after this afternoon’s strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake centred off the south-west coast of Tuatapere has now been lifted with no threat posed to the Southland coast.

Civil Defence Southland Controller Aly Curd says people who have left the coast as a precaution after the warnings issued may now return. However, they’re advised to stay away from beaches and out of the water for the next 12 hours as currents and tidal patterns may have been affected, he says. Boaties should also exercise extreme caution.

Thousands of people felt the quake which has been assessed as 6.7 magnitude centred off the south-west coast of Tuatapere and Curd says in the latest Civil Defence update that it now poses “no threat” of a tsunami on the Southland coast.

The earthquake struck at 2.43pm at a depth of 33kms and Geonet assessments have it at 6.7magnitutde, 160kms northwest of Snares Islands off the southern coast.

The shaking was felt widely felt across Southland.

It was initially reported 30kms southwest of Lumsden with residents as far away as Mataura, over to Dipton, and through to Queenstown noticing the severe shake.

Some reported a long slow roll near Dipton while as far away as Queenstown hanging lights and objects were left swinging markedly.

A second 5.0 magnitude quake was reported – 145km north-west of Snares Islands at 3.56pm at a depth of 33km.