India, Jan. 9 -- WELLINGTON, New Zealand, January 9 - A 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit the North Island region of New Zealand early today, with shaking felt across a large area, including Wellington and the upper South Island, based on initial data from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The tremor comes days after a similar seismic event, when a magnitude 5.1 earthquake was recorded roughly 802 km from Tauranga.

The earthquake, measured at a preliminary magnitude of 5.5, occurred near New Zealand's North Island. The GFZ provided the initial assessment. There is no immediate information from local authorities regarding casualties, structural damage, or whether a tsunami warning has been issued for coastal areas. The quake's ...