Christchurch and Banks Peninsula residents on or near the water are being warned there could be strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges in the coming hours.

This is because of the magnitude 8.1 earthquake near the Kermadec Islands this morning.

It is important that people:

• Stay off the beach – do not go sightseeing.
• Stay away from coastal waters, tidal rivers and estuaries.
• Follow any instructions given by Civil Defence authorities.

 “At this stage we are not advising people in the tsunami evacuation zones to evacuate because there is no immediate risk to land. However, people in those zones should listen to the radio or keep an eye on the Civil Defence social media pages for updates as the situation could change,’’ says Christchurch City Council Civil Defence and Emergency Management Manager Rob Orchard.

There have been three large earthquakes north-east of New Zealand this morning. The first, at 2.27am was a magnitude 7.1, while the second was a magnitude 7.4. The third quake was the largest at magnitude 8.1.

Find out about Christchurch and Banks Peninsula's tsunami evacuation zones.