[imagesource: AP]

There’s not much that can ruffle the feathers of New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern.

Not the accusation of calling someone a Karen being in her new hate speech laws, the COVID-19 pandemic spreading in the country, or the threat of a small earthquake it seems.

During a press conference being held in Wellington on Friday (today), Ardern was interrupted by a magnitude 5,9 earthquake.

She was being asked a question regarding the country’s new vaccination targets and plans for a post-COVID-19-lockdown future when her podium started shaking.

Her alarm lasted only briefly as she gripped the podium, but quickly returned to absolute composure and handled the situation with skill:

Jacinda Ardern keeping her cool as an earthquake rattled the North Island around 10 minutes ago. @1NewsNZ pic.twitter.com/TSfiplDtMb

— Andrew Macfarlane (@andrewmacfnz) October 21, 2021

The Guardian has more:

According to Geonet, the 5,9 magnitude quake hit at a depth of 210 km in the central North Island. Geonet, which takes in reports from the public of earthquakes, said 25 000 people had reported shaking. No significant damage has been recorded.

New Zealand is no stranger to earthquakes, with Geonet having recorded more than 1 350 earthquakes over magnitude 4 in the past year.

They are not a particularly new thing to Ardern, either, who has been interrupted by the Earth’s shaking a couple of times before in previous press conferences:

Having lived in a country (Japan) with regular shakes myself, I can confirm that one does simply get used to it.

Still, Ardern’s composure is worth a nod of approval.

[source:guardian]