NZ PM unruffled as quake hits mid-interview

WELLINGTON: A moderate 5.6-magnitude earthquake rattled New Zealand´s North Island early Monday but failed to crack Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern´s trademark composure as she conducted a live television interview.

The quake struck just off the coast before 8:00 am local time (2000 Sunday GMT) at a depth of about 52 kilometres (32 miles) near Levin, about 90 kilometres north of Wellington, the US Geological Survey said. St John Ambulance and New Zealand Police both said there were no initial reports of injuries or damage.

There was no tsunami warning. “We´re just having a bit of an earthquake here, Ryan,” Ardern told Auckland-based AM Show presenter Ryan Bridge, briefly looking concerned as she scanned the room around her. “Quite a decent shake here, if you see things moving behind me,” she said, smiling, as she quickly regained her poise and continued the interview.

“It´s just stopped,” she said. “We´re fine, I´m not under any hanging lights, I look like I´m in a structurally sound place. New Zealand lies on the Pacific Basin “Ring of Fire“, where tectonic places collide generating more than 15,000 earthquakes a year, although only 100-150

are strong enough to be felt.