6.5 Quake hits Wellington, NZ.

[BPO]

Some damage, no reports of injuries yet.

Wellington's Dominion Post newspaper.

[mithrandir]

My USGS email said 6.9. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000iivv

Geoscience Australia says 6.8 but not finalised. http://www.ga.gov.au/earthquakes/getQuakeDetails.do?quakeId=3387130&orid=786880&sta=MILA

GeoNet NZ says 6.5 http://www.geonet.org.nz/quakes/region/newzealand/2013p543824 and describes that as the best estimate.

[Blue Skies]

There's been some building damage, apparently, but nothing serious. Authorities playing it safe and the Mercure hotel has been evacuated as a precaution. I'm still waiting to hear from a friend there for a first-hand account. Otherwise there is some info at the Stuff (http://www.stuff.co.nz/) website. Being regularly shaken they don't tend to get too excited about it, though, I've found.