New Zealand PM Ardern’s response to earthquake goes viral
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New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern went viral Monday over the composure she kept during an earthquake on live television.
News reports that get interrupted during an earthquake oftentimes go viral. They usually include either an anchor or their guest looking confused, then nervous and then panicked. But not Ardern, who has gained in popularity over her handling of the coronavirus.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“We’re having a bit of an earthquake here, Ryan,” she told the show’s host, Ryan Bridge, according to Reuters. “Quite a decent shake here…if you see things moving behind me. The Beehive moves a little more than most.”
New Zealand sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is sometimes called the Shaky Isles for its frequent quakes.
Monday's magnitude 5.6 quake struck in the ocean about 62 miles northeast of Wellington, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The quake hit just before 8 a.m. and was felt by thousands of New Zealanders who were getting ready to start their work week. It was strong enough to rattle food from shelves and stop train services.
The Associated Press contributed to this report