6.6

Principal at Bekabeka Adventist High School Encie Dionie confirmed to SIBC News that the houses are the principal’s residence which she is residing in and the school canteen. She said a majority of staff houses have also partially collapsed. 

A school tank also fell to the ground and broke. 

“The earthquake is swift but strong but if it shook for a little longer, definitely all the houses would crumble to the ground.

Mrs Dionie said currently all the houses are leaning on one side and dangerous for staff to live in because their posts are all rotten.   

Geonet seismologist John Ristau said the magnitude 6.6 quake was centered about 850 kilometres north of Whakatane, at a depth of 360km.

There had been more than 150 reports from people who felt the quake in New Zealand, Ristau said.

However, there were unlikely to be aftershocks and there was no tsunami risk, he said.