New Zealand quake magnitude 5.9 triggers tsunami warning

A powerful earthquake struck New Zealand's South Island on Thursday, July 16, 2026, briefly triggering a tsunami warning and prompting evacuations before the threat was downgraded. The tremor, which occurred at 9:14 p.m. local time, was centered approximately 40 kilometers north of the town of Te Anau at a depth of about 53 kilometers.

The earthquake was initially reported as magnitude 6.3 by local authorities but was later revised downward to 5.9 by New Zealand's GeoNet and international agencies. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) responded by issuing an urgent tsunami warning, ordering immediate evacuations for coastal areas from Milford Sound to Puysegur Point. Residents were instructed to move to high ground, with officials advising people to walk, run, or cycle to avoid traffic congestion.

The warning was downgraded to a marine advisory and then canceled entirely later in the evening. NEMA stated the advisory was canceled because no tsunami signals had been detected for approximately two hours following the event, indicating the threat had passed. However, officials cautioned that strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges could continue along the...