<span style="color: #222222;">In New Zealand, a powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck near the remote Kermadec Islands northeast of New Zealand today, briefly prompting a tsunami warning.<br />'' <br />'' After initially forecasting a threat to beach, harbour, estuary and small boat activities, Civil Defence organisation gave the all-clear after eight minutes. The quake was given a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 by the US Geological Survey but was later downgraded to 7.2.<br />'' <br />'' The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also lifted its tsunami warning for parts of the South Pacific but said minor sea level fluctuations may occur in some coastal areas.<br />'' <br />''The earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres some 928 kilometres north-northeast of the New Zealand city of Tauranga in the North Island.</span><br />