NZ Civil Defence says tsunami possible after strong quake

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A strong earthquake that hit New Zealand could cause a tsunami and residents on the South Island's east coast should seek higher ground, New Zealand's Civil Defence said on its twitter feed on Monday. The U.S. Geological Survey said the 7.4 magnitude quake struck just after midnight and was centered around 90 km north of Christchurch, which was devastated by a 6.3 quake in February 2011. (Reporting by Lincoln Feast)