New Zealand's southern South Island was shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale on Thursday. The quake caused no casualities or damages.

The quake happened at 5:38 p.m. local time (0438 GMT) and was centered off the coast of Fiordland, 170 km west of southern city Invercargill.

It was at a depth of 12 km, the New Zealand Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences reported.