( CNN ) -- A pair of earthquakes with magnitudes of at least 5.0 struck within 90 minutes of each other near Christchurch , New Zealand , on Monday , the U.S. Geological Survey reported , reviving vivid memories of a deadly quake that killed more than 180 people in February . `` Everyone is on edge here anyway , '' said Rhys Taylor , who said he could hear sirens and see helicopters flying over Christchurch . `` Obviously , power 's out -- sort of all over the city at the moment -- and phone lines are down . '' Police evacuated sections of the city 's central business district after reports of a possible gas leak , police said . Several bridges in the city were closed as a precaution . `` It was quite an exciting ride , '' Christchurch Police Acting Inspector Murray Hurst told CNN after the first quake , adding that there was some damage caused by the quake and a few injuries that were not life-threatening . The first quake -- a magnitude 5.2 -- was centered 9 kilometers ( 5 miles ) east-southeast of Christchurch at a depth of 11 kilometers ( 6.8 miles ) , according to USGS . The quake took place at 1 p.m. Monday . A second quake -- a more powerful 6.0 tremor -- struck at 2:20 p.m. , roughly 13 kilometers ( 8 miles ) north-northeast of the city at a depth of 9 kilometers ( 5.6 miles ) . And at least one smaller quake followed . A magnitude 4.6 quake struck at 2:40 p.m. about 11 kilometers ( 6 miles ) east of Christchurch and at a depth of 12.5 kilometers ( 7.8 miles ) , according to the USGS . The quakes came nearly four months after a 6.3-magnitude temblor struck the same area , killing more than 180 people . CNN 's Jack Maddox and Anisha Bhandari contributed to this report .
Two quakes strike near Christchurch within 2:20 p.m. . Three of the quakes have magnitudes of at least 5.0 . Power is out and phone lines are down in Christchurch , a resident says . A 6.3-magnitude temblor struck the same area in nearly four months , killing Two people .