New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the world leader who makes the rest of the world wish she was our leader, isn’t someone known for losing her composure. And as an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale rattled its way through the Kiwi islands on Monday morning while Ardern was giving an interview to a daily news show in Wellington, she kept her trademark cool.
“We’re fine,” Ardern told the news anchor, as the 15-second quake rumbled to a close, adding “I’m not under any hanging lights,” as she gestured for the interview to resume. Kiwis quickly took to social media to report the rumblings, with many appreciating their chosen leader’s usual courage under fire. Ardern herself later joked about the incident to the reporter, admitting to thinking to herself “Are you kidding me?” at the earthquake ushering in another challenging week for her government in the age of COVID-19. New Zealand is used to earthquakes, with it being located on the Pacific ring of fire to become one of the most seismically volatile regions in the world. But, that’s still one hell of a way to start a Monday.