WORKERS have fled New Zealand's capital, Wellington, after a severe earthquake measuring a magnitude of 6.6 rocked the nation.
New Zealanders huddled under desks as strong tremors struck the country -- as far north as Auckland and as far south as Dunedin -- at around 2:31pm local time.
Earthquakes damaged houses and there were reports of a home almost totally collapsing in Marlborough on the South Island.
Many buildings were evacuated and workers told to go home to allow structural assessments to be carried out. Lengthy traffic queues formed outside the city.
Strong earthquakes shook central New Zealand on Friday, damaging homes and roads and sending office workers scrambling for cover in the capital. No serious injuries were reported.
A magnitude-6.5 temblor struck just after 2:30 p.m. near the small South Island town of Seddon, and at least six aftershocks were 5.0 magnitude or stronger.
Several homes near the epicenter were severely damaged, with chimneys collapsing and roofs caving in, said police spokeswoman Barbara Dunn. She said a bridge was severely damaged on the main highway near Seddon, and that rocks and debris had fallen onto the road. Police closed a section of the highway.
Some buildings in Wellington, the capital, were evacuated, and items were knocked off shelves in places.
Police said a number of people were freed from Wellington elevators that stopped working. The initial temblor also forced the nation's stock exchange to close for more than an hour.
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