Earthquake Hits, NZ PM's Reaction Caught On Cam

WELLINGTON: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is again in the news. This time for staying calm while an earthquake hit while putting down her smile.

During a live TV interview, Ardern looked unflustered when an earthquake struck the capital Wellington on Monday. She appeared calm and smiled on and continued with the programme.

"We're just having a bit of an earthquake here, Ryan...," she told the host of the show as the camera and other things around shook which was caught live on camera. She was speaking on a live TV interview at the time from the parliament building, called the Beehive.

"Quite a decent shake here...if you see things moving behind me. The Beehive moves a little more than most," she said.

She assured the host that she was safe and the interview went on. The video has now gone viral.

Wellington and nearby areas were shaken by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake with the epicentre 30 km (20 miles) northwest of Levin, a city close to the capital, and at a depth of 37 km, according to a media report.

There were no damages and no injuries, Ardern said later.

Ardern, who became prime minister in 2017, is hugely popular in New Zealand for her handling of several crises - a mass shooting in Christchurch last year, a volcanic eruption in December and the recent coronavirus pandemic.

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