An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter Scale rattled New Zealand's Kermadec Islands in the early morning hours on Monday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.The quake hit a depth of 73 km and took place at 4:06 am (local time) or 4:06 pm (UTC time), the agency said.The epicentre of the quake was located south of the Kermadec Islands, according to USGS.There are no reports of any casualties, injuries or damage to property. No tsunami warning has been issued.Situated in the South Pacific Ocean, the Kermadec Islands is located between 800-1,000 km northeast of New Zealand's North Island region.New Zealand lies in the 'Ring of Fire', an area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean, which is vulnerable to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
