TWO DEAD IN PACIFIC HIGHWAY HEAD-ON

The Pacific Highway has claimed two more lives, after a head-on collision in Northern New South Wales.

Two cars collided 15 kilometres south of New Italy around 8am.

A husband and wife in their 60s were killed, while two teenagers were injured. They were taken taken to Lismore Base Hospital with neck, head and abdominal injuries.

Police say a northbound Commodore carrying the teenagers crossed into the path of the couple’s car.

The highway was reopened at midday.

NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR INJURIES FROM QUAKE

An earthquake measurig 3.4 on the Richter Scale was felt in parts of the mid north coast in the early hours of Friday morning.

Residents from Port Stephens to Newcastle have told how they felt the earth move around 3.30am, others have told how a shudder woke them from their sleep.

The shake lasted around 10 seconds.

There have been no reports of damage or people injured.

Canberra based Kevin McCue told NBN this morning’s quake was one of three minor quakes that have been felt across New South Wales this week.

MOTORCYCLIST DIES IN HIGHWAY CRASH

A motorcyclist died this afternoon after colliding with a truck on the Pacific Highway near Kempsey.

The motorcycle crashed head-on into the truck, which was carrying a full load of sugar.

The rider died instantly and the truck driver was taken to hospital where he was treated for shock.

The highway was closed for several hours, with vehicles being diverted around the crash scene.

POLICE SHOOTING AT VALENTINE

Police are piecing together events that led to a pursuit and the shooting of an alleged offender in the Lake Macquarie suburb of Valentine this morning.

Detectives are carrying out a critical incident investigation at the scene on The Park Chase where one man was shot in the thigh by police and another arrested after a brief chase in bushland.

Police have confirmed the incident is linked to an earlier home invasion in the Newcastle suburb of Kotara

At one stage the Westpac rescue helicopter was called in to help search for the men.

The wounded man is in a stable condition in Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital. Another man is in police custody.

KNIGHTS HOUSTON ON DRUG CHARGES

A second Newcastle Knights player has been charged with supplying ecstasy and cocaine.

Detectives attached to Strikeforce Welham this afternoon served a court attendance notice on 25-year-old Chris Houston via his legal representative.

Houston was immediately stood down by the club.

A statement released by the Knights this afternoon said “Newcastle Knights player, Chris Houston has been stood down immediately and indefinitely following reports he was charged this afternoon on drug related allegations.

The Newcastle Knights will not be making any comment until further notice.”

Strikeforce Welham was set up to investigate drug supply in Northern New South Wales and resulted in the charging of Newcastle Knight Danny Wicks.

Houston is due to face court on April 13th.

AUSTRALIA ON TSUNAMI WATCH AFTER QUAKE

FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION VISIT THE BOM WEBSITE http://www.bom.gov.au/tsunami/

Australia’s east coast has been put on tsunami watch following a major 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Chile where at least six people have been killed.

The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC) issued a tsunami watch at 7:45pm (AEDT) on Saturday declaring a “potential tsunami threat” to New South Wales, Queensland, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island.

“Tsunami waves have been observed on the coast of Chile that may threaten Australia,” the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said in a statement on Saturday.

The BoM said tsunami waves could start affecting Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands after 8:30am (AEDT) on Sunday.

NSW could be hit after 8:45am (AEDT) on Sunday while Queensland could be hit after 8:15am (AEST)

Duty forecaster Jake Phillips at the BoM says the NSW coast north of Broken Bay and up to Queensland’s south coast as far Double Island Pt near Brisbane could experience strong waves.

“But at this stage we want to stress that there is no concern about land inundation,” Mr Phillips told AAP.

“But there is a marine threat and that would include anyone out boating or rock fishermen.”

The quake struck off Chile’s coast at 3:34am local time (1734 AEDT) on Saturday, shaking buildings in the capital, where some have buildings collapsed.

The epicentre of the tremor was 100 kilometres north northwest of the Chilean town of Chillan and 115 kilometres northeast of Concepcion, Chile’s second-largest city, where more than 200,000 people live along the Bio Bio river.

It was also 97km from the ski town of Chillan, a gateway to Andean ski resorts that was destroyed in a 1939 earthquake.

Phone lines were down in the country, making confirmation of damage difficult, especially further south toward the epicentre.

The quake was felt in Argentina as well.

The US Pacific Tsunami warning centre has also issued a tsunami warning for Chile and Peru, and a tsunami watch is in place for Ecuador, Colombia, Antarctica, Panama and Costa Rica.

Japan’s meteorological agency also warned of a tsunami risk across large areas of the Pacific as US geologists said the risk extended as far as the Antarctic.

“There is a possibility that tsunami will widely occur in the Pacific Ocean,” an official for the Japanese agency said.

ROCK FISHERMAN DROWNS ON CENTRAL COAST

The dangers of rock fishing have again been highlighted, this time by the death of a 26-year-old Sydney man on the Central Coast.

The man was swept into the water early this morning, and couldn’t be revived.

AUTHORITIES SICK OF SAVING PEOPLE, FROM THEMSELVES

Authorities on the Gold Coast say they’re sick of saving people, from themselves.

It follows that rescue from a flooded drain last night, and six rescues on Sunday.

In all cases crews risked their lives to save others.

DAM OVERFLOWING BUT NO EASE ON RESTRICTIONS

The Hinze Dam is again overflowing after the weekend rains.

But the Queensland Water Commission is adamant permanent water restrictions are here to stay.

DRAMATIC CAR RESCUES AS WATERS RISE

At least half a dozen people were rescued from cars during last night’s downpour.

More than 338 millimetres fell on Mount Tamborine in just 20 hours.

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