New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who is known for her composure and poise, was unnerved by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake, even in the middle of a live interview. Even as Ardern was being interviewed live by presenter Ryan Bridge on Monday morning, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck New Zealand's North Island on which capital Wellington is situated. Watching her reaction, the Twitterati went gushing over her "ice-cool reaction".
The 5.8 magnitude earthquake, which had a depth of 37 km, struck at 30 km north-west of Levin, according to New Zealand's GeoNet. Levin is a town situated about 93 km north of capital Wellington. It was followed by over 45 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 1.1 to 4.4.
"We're just having a bit of an earthquake here", Ardern told Auckland-based AM Show presenter Ryan Bridge. After scanning through the room, she joked that the "beehive moves a little more than most", referring to the executive wing of the country's parliament building. The shake lasted for a few seconds. When asked if she felt safe to continue with the interview, Ardern answered in an affirmative, citing that she wasn't under any hanging lights and was in a structurally sound building.
Several social media users went gushing over her, who has been previously hailed for her successful handling of the horrific Christchurch massacre and the Covid-19 crisis. Replying to a "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" tweet by the U.S. President Donald Trump, a user wrote if it was possible to "have a REAL LEADER as the COOL & INTELLIGENT" Ardern. Another called her for President and Prime Minister for the whole world. "Is there anything Jacinda Ardern cannot handle?" tweeted another.
Earthquakes in New Zealand
New Zealand, situated in the seismically active 'Ring of Fire', is highly prone to earthquakes. The 'Ring of Fire' is a 40,000km arc situated through much of the Pacific ocean, where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.
In 2011, a quake of magnitude 6.3 in Christchurch killed 185 people. In 2016, a massive quake of magnitude 7.8 hit the South Island causing major damage throughout the island, along with the southern areas of the North Island.
