It ignited painful memories for residents in nearby Christchurch, which was devastated five years ago by a 6.3 tremor which killed 185 people. "We were asleep and woken to the house shaking, it kept going and going and felt like it was going to build up." 'Significant shake'Marie Black, a local councillor who lives about 50 kilometres north of Christchurch, told the New Zealand Herald there were reports of damage to buildings in the North Canterbury region. Mount Victoria, the city's highest point, was choked with cars in the early hours as residents from low-lying areas sought refuge from a possible tsunami. In several cities guests were forced to evacuate hotels when the quake hit, including Nelson, about 200 kilometres from the quake centre where the touring Pakistan cricket team are staying.

Source: The Nation Bangkok November 14, 2016 00:26 UTC