Earthquakes in New Zealand - Major Earthquakes

Major Earthquakes

Date Location Region Magnitude (ML) Magnitude (Mw) Depth Latitude Longitude Fatalities Further information
1100 Alpine Fault South Island 7.6 - 8.3
1460 Wellington Region Wellington 8.0 8.0 25 km 41.39°S 174.80°E
1610-20 Alpine Fault South Island 7.6 - 8.3
1717 Alpine Fault South Island 8.1
1815 New Plymouth Taranaki 7.0 25 km 38.99°S 174.00°E
1817 Fiordland South Island 7.0 25 km 45.99°S 167.00°E
1826 Fiordland South Island 8.0 8.0 25 km 44.99°S 167.00°E
1835 South Auckland Auckland 7.0 25 km 36.99°S 175.00°E
1838 Waitotara Forest Manawatu 7.0 25 km 39.39°S 176.10°E
8 July 1843 Toaroa Junction Manawatu 7.6 7.6 12 km 39.59°S 176.20°E 2 1843 Wanganui earthquake
16 Oct 1848 Blenheim Marlborough 7.4 7.8 12 km 41.89°S 173.60°E 3 1848 Marlborough earthquake
23 Jan 1855 Lake Wairarapa Wairarapa 8.2 8.2 33 km 41.198°S 175.20°E 9 1855 Wairarapa earthquake
19 Oct 1868 Cape Farewell Tasman Region 7.2 12 km 40.07°S 173.02°E Felt throughout Central New Zealand
5 Jun 1869 Christchurch Canterbury 5.7 1869 Christchurch earthquake
31 Aug 1870 Christchurch Canterbury 5.8 Very strong in Christchurch
18 July 1876 Palmerston North Manawatu 6.8 50 km 40.19°S 175.80°E Felt strongly in Palmerston North
25 Jun 1881 Palmerston North Manawatu 6.7 33 km 40.39°S 175.60°E Felt strongly in Palmerston North
5 Dec 1881 Castle Hill Canterbury 6.0 Damaged stone buildings in Christchurch, including ChristChurch Cathedral
1 Sep 1888 Lewis Pass North Canterbury 7.0 7.1 12 km 42.59°S 172.55°E 1888 North Canterbury earthquake
23 Jun 1891 Port Waikato Auckland 6.2 12 km 37.43°S 174.43°E Felt in Auckland/Waikato
11 Feb 1893 Nelson Tasman Bay 6.7 70 km 40.99°S 173.80°E Felt throughout Central New Zealand
7 Dec 1897 Wanganui Manawatu 6.5 40 km 39.99°S, 175.00°E Felt throughout North Island, Strong in Wanganui
16 Nov 1901 Cheviot North Canterbury 6.8 12 km 42.74°S 173.35°E 1 1901 Cheviot earthquake
22 Nov 1914 Tauranga Bay of Plenty 7.3 300 km 37.49°S 176.50°E Felt throughout North Island
1 May 1917 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 8.0 50 km 29.00°S 177.00°W Felt throughout New Zealand
28 Jun 1921 Kaweka Forest Hawke's Bay 7.0 80 km 39.29°S 176.40°E Felt throughout North Island
25 Dec 1922 Motunau North Canterbury 6.4 20 km 42.99°S 173.00°E Felt throughout Upper half of South Island
9 Mar 1929 Arthur's Pass Canterbury 7.0 12 km 42.83°S 171.83°E 1929 Arthur's Pass earthquake
17 Jun 1929 Murchison West Coast 7.3 7.8 20 km 41.69°S 172.20°E 17 1929 Murchison earthquake
19 Jun 1929 Murchison Tasman Region 6.3 12 km 41.68°S 172.43°E Aftershock to M 7.3 event
23 Jun 1929 Murchison Tasman Region 6.5 12 km 41.77°S 172.32°E Aftershock to M 7.3 event
23 Jun 1929 Murchison Tasman Region 6.4 12 km 41.77°S 172.32°E Aftershock to M 7.3 event
15 July 1929 Murchison Tasman Region 6.3 19 km 41.64°S 172.29°E Aftershock to M 7.3 event
12 Feb 1930 Porangahau Hawke's Bay 6.2 33 km 40.39°S 176.55°E Felt throughout Lower half of North Island/Hawke's Bay
3 Feb 1931 North of Napier Hawke's Bay 7.4 7.8 20 km 39.29°S 177.00°E 256 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake
13 Feb 1931 East of Napier Hawke's Bay 7.3 30 km 39.55°S 177.31°E Aftershock to M 7.4 event
5 May 1932 East of Napier Hawke's Bay 5.9 12 km 39.53°S 177.45°E Aftershock to M 7.4 event
15 Sep 1932 Wairoa Hawke's Bay 6.9 12 km 38.95°S 177.59°E Aftershock to M 7.4 event
5 Mar 1934 Pahiatua Manawatu 7.2 12 km 40.54°S 176.29°E 2 1934 Pahiatua earthquake
24 May 1936 Whakatane Bay of Plenty 6.5 150 km 37.99°S 177.00°E Felt in North Island
16 Dec 1938 Fiordland Southland 7.0 60 km 44.99°S 167.00°E Felt throughout South Island
24 Jun 1942 Masterton Wairarapa 6.5 12 km 40.95°S 175.68°E June 1942 Wairarapa earthquake
1 Aug 1942 Masterton Wairarapa 6.8 40 km 41.01°S 175.51°E 1 August 1942 Wairarapa earthquake
2 Dec 1942 Masterton Wairarapa 6.0 20 km 41.07°S 175.58°E Aftershock to 6.8 event
17 Feb 1943 Te Anau Southland 6.5 123 km 45.29°S 168.00°E Felt throughout South Island
25 Feb 1943 Wellington Wairarapa 5.8 60 km 41.36°S, 174.95°E Felt strongly in Wellington
23 Jun 1946 Lake Hawea Canterbury 5.9 50 km 44.22°S, 169.36°E Felt West Coast/Canterbury
26 Jun 1946 Lake Coleridge Canterbury 6.2 12 km 43.30°S 171.47°E Mainshock
28 Jun 1946 Lake Coleridge Canterbury 5.8 12 km 43.33°S 171.21°E Aftershock to M 6.2 event
22 May 1948 Hanmer Springs North Canterbury 5.9 12 km 42.46°S, 172.88°E Foreshock to 6.4 event
22 May 1948 Hanmer Springs North Canterbury 6.4 12 km 42.49°S 173.00°E Mainshock
22 May 1948 Cheviot North Canterbury 6.2 12 km 42.83°S 173.05°E Triggered event from the M 6.4 event 5minutes prior
22 May 1948 Rotherham North Canterbury 5.7 12 km 42.66°S 173.02°E Aftershock to M 6.2 event
22 May 1948 Hanmer Springs North Canterbury 5.7 12 km 42.54°S 173.01°E Aftershock to M 6.4 event
22 May 1948 Hanmer Springs North Canterbury 5.8 12 km 42.48°S 172.86°E Aftershock to M 6.4 event
9 Feb 1949 Hawera Taranaki 6.4 199 km 39.67°S 174.35°E Felt throughout North Island
10 Jan 1951 Cheviot North Canterbury 5.5 12 km 42.78°S 173.18°E Aftershock to M 6.2 event 3 years prior
24 Jun 1951 Toaroa Junction Manawatu 6.3 33 km 39.45°S 176.20°E Felt throughout North Island
29 Sep 1953 Tauranga Bay of Plenty 7.2 273 km 37.59°S 176.48°E Felt throughout North Island
27 Feb 1955 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.8 18 km 28.40°S 175.37°W Felt in the East half of North Island
31 Jan 1958 Waipawa Hawke's Bay 6.1 12 km 39.84°S 176.58°E Felt strongly in Hawke's Bay
14 Sep 1959 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.8 35 km 28.82°S 177.07°W Felt in the East half of North Island
10 May 1962 Westport West Coast 5.6 12 km 41.66°S 171.44°E Felt strongly in Westport
18 Dec 1963 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.7 35 km 24.77°S 176.52°W Felt in the East half of North Island
11 April 1965 Kaikoura North Canterbury 6.1 12 km 42.76°S 173.87°E Felt in Kaikoura/North Canterbury
4 Mar 1966 Gisborne East Cape 6.0 33 km 38.73°S 178.11°E Felt in Gisborne
24 May 1968 Inangahua Junction West Coast 6.7 7.1 12 km 41.75°S 172.04°E 2 1968 Inangahua earthquake
24 May 1968 Inangahua Junction West Coast 5.7 12 km 41.94°S 171.78°E Aftershock to M 6.7 event
5 Jan 1973 Taupo Waikato 7.0 163 km 39.03°S 175.26°E Felt throughout New Zealand
15 Jan 1976 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.8 43 km 29.21°S 177.63°W Foreshock to M 8.2 event
15 Jan 1976 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 8.2 31 km 29.17°S 177.31°W Mainshock
24 Jun 1984 Lake Tekapo Canterbury 5.9 12 km 43.58°S 170.00°E Felt around the South Island
21 Oct 1986 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 8.3 33 km 28.15°S 176.29°W Felt throughout New Zealand
2 Mar 1987 Edgecumbe Bay of Plenty 6.1 6.5 10 km 37.88°S 176.80°E 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake
2 Mar 1987 Edgecumbe Bay of Plenty 5.6 11 km 37.90°S 176.72°E Aftershock to M 6.1 event
24 May 1989 Puysegur Trench South of New Zealand 8.2 Felt in the South Island
13 May 1990 Weber Manawatu 6.2 29 km 40.42S 176.47°E Mainshock
19 May 1990 Weber Manawatu 5.9 33 km 40.46S 176.43°E Aftershock to M 6.2 event
28 Jan 1991 Buller Ranges West Coast 6.1 9.9 km 41.90°S 171.65°E Foreshock to M 6.3 event
29 Jan 1991 Buller Ranges West Coast 6.3 17.3 km 41.90°S 171.72°E Mainshock
15 Feb 1991 Buller Ranges West Coast 6.0 5.9 km 42.03°S, 171.58°E Aftershock south of M 6.1/6.3 events
8 Sep 1991 South Taranaki Bight Manawatu 6.3 86 km 40.24°S 175.16°E Felt throughout North Island
27 May 1992 Wairau Valley Marlborough 6.8 79 km 41.60°S 173.66°E Felt in Central New Zealand
21 June 1992 White Island Bay of Plenty 6.1 5 km 37.57°S 176.82°E Felt in Bay of Plenty
10 Aug 1993 Secretary Island Southland 6.7 7.0 5 km 45.21°S 166.70°E Felt as far away as Australia
10 Aug 1993 Gisborne East Cape 6.3 45 km 38.52°S 177.90°E Felt strongly in Gisborne.
11 Apr 1993 Hastings Hawke's Bay 6.1 37 km 39.72°S 176.71°E Felt strongly throughout Hawke's Bay
18 Jun 1994 Arthur's Pass Canterbury 6.7 6.7 4 km 43.00°S 171.47°E Mainshock
19 Jun 1994 Lake Coleridge Canterbury 6.1 5 km 43.16°S, 171.47°E Triggered event from M 6.7 event
24 Nov 1995 Arthur's Pass Canterbury 6.3 7 km 42.95°S, 171.81°E Aftershock to M 6.7 event
6 Feb 1995 NE of New Zealand East Cape 7.0 12 km 37.7°7S 179.68°E Mainshock
10 Feb 1995 NE of New Zealand East Cape 6.6 12 km 37.50°S 179.27°E Aftershock to M 7.0 event
25 May 1997 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.9 339 km 33.61°S 177.80°E Felt throughout North Island and upper half of South Island
25 Oct 1999 Taupo Waikato 7.0 160 km 38.56S 175.91°E Felt throughout New Zealand
21 Aug 2001 NE of New Zealand East Cape 7.1 7.1 33 km 36.98°S 179.16°E Felt in the Gisborne area
15 Oct 2001 Hastings Hawke's Bay 5.8 40 km 39.69°S, 176.72°E Felt strongly throughout Hawke's Bay
8 Dec 2001 Haast West Coast 6.2 5 km 44.11°S 168.60°E Mainshock
24 Feb 2002 Haast West Coast 5.9 5 km 44.07°S 168.58°E Aftershock to M 6.2 event
19 Aug 2002 Fiji Islands Greater NZ Region 7.7 694 km 23.81°S 178.36°E Buildings swayed in Auckland for 2 minutes
22 Aug 2003 Fiordland Southland 7.0 7.2 24 km 45.19°S, 166.83°E Felt throughout South Island
22 Nov 2004 Puysegur Trench South of New Zealand 7.1 7.0 12 km 46.57°S 165.08°E Felt strongly in Invercargill
21 Jan 2005 Upper Hutt Wellington 5.6 30 km 41.08°S 175.05°E Felt strongly throughout Wellington Region
16 May 2006 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.6 7.4 150 km 31.56°S, 179.30°W Felt in East half of New Zealand
16 May 2006 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.1 33 km 31.98°S, 177.21°W Felt in East half on North Island
15 Oct 2007 George Sound Southland 6.7 6.7 5 km 44.72°S 167.39°E Felt lower half of South Island
9 Dec 2007 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.8 152 km 25.99°S 177.51°W Felt in East half of New Zealand
20 Dec 2007 Gisborne East Cape 6.7 6.6 44 km 38.89°S 178.44°E 2007 Gisborne earthquake
25 Aug 2008 Hastings Hawke's Bay 5.9 31 km 39.71°S 176.85°E Felt Strongly in Hastings/Napier
15 Jul 2009 Dusky Sound Southland 7.8 12 km 45.76°S 166.58°E 2009 Fiordland earthquake
4 Sep 2010 Darfield Canterbury 7.1 7.2 10 km 43.52°S 172.16°E 2010 Canterbury earthquake
4 Sep 2010 Darfield Canterbury 5.9 10 km 43.55°S 172.32°E Very strong aftershock,under a minute after 7.1 event
4 Sep 2010 Darfield Canterbury 5.9 10 km 43.55°S 172.32°E Very strong aftershock,9 minutes after 7.1 event
22 Feb 2011 Christchurch Canterbury 6.3 6.2 5.9 km 43.58S 172.67E 185 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake
22 Feb 2011 Christchurch Canterbury 5.8 5.5 5.9 km 43.58°S, 172.66°E Very strong aftershock, 13minutes after 6.3 Event
22 Feb 2011 Christchurch Canterbury 5.9 5.6 6.6 km 43.58°S, 172.63°E Very strong aftershock, 3 hours after 6.3 Event
13 Jun 2011 Christchurch Canterbury 5.9 5.3 8.9 km 43.57°S 172.75°E Very strong foreshock, 80minutes prior to 6.4 Event
13 Jun 2011 Christchurch Canterbury 6.4 6.0 6.9 km 43.56°S 172.73°E 1 June 2011 Christchurch earthquake
5 Jul 2011 Taupo Waikato 6.5 5.6 152 km 38.65°S 175.70°E Felt throughout New Zealand
7 Jul 2011 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.6 20 km 29.31°S 176.20°W Felt as far as Christchurch
22 Oct 2011 Raoul Island Kermadec Islands 7.4 32.9 km 28.99°S 176.18°W Felt in East half of the North Island.
23 Dec 2011 Christchurch Canterbury 5.9 5.8 9.5 km 43.48°S 172.79°E Very strong foreshock, around 80 minutes before 6.0 magnitude tremor.
23 Dec 2011 Christchurch Canterbury 6.0 5.9 6.9 km 43.52°S 172.74°E Caused considerable damage throughout the Christchurch region.
3 Jul 2012 South Taranaki Bight Taranaki 7.1 6.3 229 km 40.00°S 173.75°E Felt throughout the North Island and most of the South Island. (see 2012 Opunake earthquake)

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