M6.4 earthquake strikes near island chain off New Zealand

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit near an island chain northeast of New Zealand on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.The quake struck at 7:01 p.m. in New Zealand, 140 kilometers northeast of L'Esperance Rock, an uninhabited island that forms part of the Kermadec Islands, the northernmost part of New Zealand.The temblor struck at a depth of 10 km, according to the USGS.The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii has not issued a tsunami warning.The Kermadec Islands chain has seen heightened levels of geological activity in recent days, with two large earthquakes hitting the ar…READ FULL ARTICLE