Magnitude 5.5 earthquake hits New Zealand just weeks after massive quake ripped through the country

A severe earthquake with a 5.5 magnitude has struck central New Zealand, just weeks after two massive quakes rocked the country.  More than 7,000 people reported feeling the ground tremble beneath them on Thursday afternoon as the earthquake ripped through the small town of Seddon, near Kaikoura, at a depth of 17 kilometres. Some felt the quake from as far as Christchurch, almost 500 kilometres away, The NZ Herald reported.  The intensity and depth of the quake was described as 'severe' after it hit, 35 kilometres northeast of Seddon, according to GeoNet. Locals have been asked to remain indoors during the quake and to 'drop, cover and hold' during each tremble.
Last month, two major earthquakes measuring 6.3 and 7.8 struck Cheviot, located between Christchurch and Kaikoura. More than 1000 tourists and residents were evacuated from the small seaside town of Kaikoura by a fleet of helicopters and a naval vessel after the massive quake. The 7.8 earthquake tore apart the seabed, homes, roadways and claimed the lives of two people.