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Dual quakes rock Christchurch, New Zealand

By the CNN Wire Staff
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Two quakes rock New Zealand
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: Two quakes hit New Zealand within 90 minutes of each other
  • "It was quite an exciting ride," a police official says of the first quake
  • A 6.3-magnitude temblor struck the same area in February, killing more than 180 people
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(CNN) -- A pair of earthquakes 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.

"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.

Police evacuated sections of the city's central business district after reports of a possible gas leak, police said. Several bridges in the city was closed as a precaution.

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 second quake -- a more powerful 6.0 -- hit about 13 kilometers (8 miles) north-northeast of the city at a depth of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles).

The quakes came nearly four months after a 6.3-magnitude temblor struck the same area.

CNN's Jack Maddox contributed to this report.

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