But even such an intense quake is still weaker than and does not have the harm affects so far as this Wenchuan quake, no matter its seismaesthesia or its damaged area involved.

The quake, which hit 30km west of the southern city of Christchurch, shook a wide area, with some residents saying buildings had collapsed and power was severed.

Tremors were felt as far away as Bangkok, 800 kilometres from the epicentre, Hanoi and parts of China during the quake, which the US Geological Survey (USGS) measured at magnitude6.8.