Three aftershocks hit New Zealand South Island's Canterbury region

Three aftershocks rattled New Zealand central South Island's Canterbury region early Sunday in quick succession.

A magnitude 4.6 quake shook Canterbury at 2.25 a.m. (1425 GMT Saturday), at a depth of 10 km, 20 km east of Christchurch, the New Zealand government geological agency GNS Scicence reported.

That was followed by a magnitude 4 quake just 15 minutes later, recorded as 9 km deep and also centered 20 km east of Christchurch.

Earlier, a quake of magnitude 4 struck 30 km southwest of Christchurch at a depth of 11 km just after 1 a.m..

GNS Science said the quakes would have been felt in Canterbury.

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch on Feb. 22, leaving 181 people dead.

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