Strong quake jolts remote islands off New Zealand

WELLINGTON: A 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck the remote Kermadec islands north of New Zealand on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey reported. The epicentre of the quake, recorded at 1:36pm (2336 GMT Monday), was 131 kilometres (81 miles) from Raoul Island and at a depth of 35 kilometres. Earthquakes and volcanic activity are common in the area, which is part of the "Ring of Fire" where the Pacific plate of the earth's crust meets other continental plates.