evidence: New Zealand earthquakes: Tsunami warnings lifted after evacuations - Published Three earthquakes, including one of the strongest ever to hit the region, struck off the coast of New Zealand on Friday, triggering tsunami warnings that have now been stood down. [...] The last, at 8.1, struck at around 08:30 near the uninhabited Kermadec Islands, 1,000 km (621 miles) north-east of New Zealand.