Earthquakes in New Zealand
In New Zealand there are very strong earthquakes with far-reaching consequences. Earthquakes with a magnitude of over 8.0 destroy numerous houses within a radius of several hundred kilometers and are causing great damage and devastation. Due to the special tectonic situation of the country, there are more earthquakes than average.Since 1950 more than 190 people have been killed by direct consequences of earthquakes. 21 earthquakes also caused a subsequent tsunami, which claimed further lifes and damages.
Other natural hazards in New Zealand:
› Volcanos
› Tsunamis
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Back to overview: New Zealand
Earthquakes in New Zealand since 1950
The strongest earthquake in New Zealand happened on 10/20/1986 in the region Raoul with a magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami with further victims and destructions. | Date | Region | Tiefe | Magnitude | Deaths | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/15/2019 | S Of, Raoul | 2 km | 7.2 | 0 | |
| 11/13/2016 | Amberley | 34 km | 7.8 | 2 | |
| 09/01/2016 | Gisborne | 3 km | 7.0 | 0 | |
| 06/23/2014 | Sse Of Raoul Island | 34 km | 6.9 | 0 | |
| 01/20/2014 | Wellington, Manawatu-Wanganui | 35 km | 6.1 | 0 | |
| 08/16/2013 | Wellington, Marlborough | 47 km | 6.5 | 0 | |
| 07/21/2013 | Cook Strait | 31 km | 6.5 | 0 | |
| 12/23/2011 | South Island (Christchurch) | 38 km | 5.8 | 0 | |
| 12/03/2011 | Cook Strait | 10 km | 5.3 | 0 | |
| 10/21/2011 | Kermadec Islands | 16 km | 7.4 | 0 | |
| 07/06/2011 | Kermadec Islands | 18 km | 7.6 | 0 | |
| 06/13/2011 | South Island (Canterbury) | 49 km | 6.0 | 1 | |
| 02/21/2011 | Christchurch, Lyttelton | 42 km | 6.1 | 181 | |
| 12/25/2010 | Christchurch | 15 km | 4.5 | 0 | |
| 09/07/2010 | South Island (Canterbury) | 57 km | 5.0 | 0 | |
| 09/06/2010 | North Island (Porangahau) | 33 km | 5.1 | 0 | |
| 09/06/2010 | South Island (Christchurch) | 1 km | 5.0 | 0 | |
| 09/03/2010 | Christchurch | 47 km | 7.0 | 0 | |
| 07/15/2009 | Off West Coast Of South Island | 29 km | 7.8 | 0 | |
| 08/25/2008 | North Island | 19 km | 5.5 | 0 | |
| 12/20/2007 | Off Coast North Island | 15 km | 6.6 | 1 | |
| 12/09/2007 | Kermadec Islands | 20 km | 7.8 | 0 | |
| 10/15/2007 | South Island (Fiordland) | 36 km | 6.8 | 0 | |
| 09/30/2007 | Auckland Islands | 34 km | 7.4 | 0 | |
| 01/20/2005 | North Island | 30 km | 5.3 | 0 | |
| 11/22/2004 | Invercargill, Southland, Otago | 23 km | 7.1 | 0 | |
| 07/18/2004 | North Island (Rotorua, Tauranga) | 22 km | 5.4 | 1 | |
| 09/29/2003 | Christchurch | 32 km | 4.8 | 0 | |
| 08/21/2003 | Dunedin, invercargill, te Anau, fiordland | 49 km | 7.2 | 0 | |
| 02/05/1995 | North Island; S Island (Christchurch) | 5 km | 7.1 | 0 | |
| 06/18/1994 | South Island (Christchurch) | 15 km | 6.8 | 0 | |
| 06/18/1993 | Kermadec Islands | 54 km | 6.6 | 0 | |
| 09/08/1991 | Wellington, Wanganui | 30 km | 5.6 | 0 | |
| 05/13/1990 | Dannevirke, Wellington | 9 km | 6.3 | 0 | |
| 03/02/1987 | North Island, Whakatani, Edgecumbe | 34 km | 6.6 | 1 | |
| 10/20/1986 | Raoul | 9 km | 8.1 | 0 | |
| 05/25/1981 | W Of North Island | 14 km | 7.6 | 0 | |
| 10/05/1980 | Gisborne, Hawera, Eastbourne, Napier | 49 km | 5.6 | 0 | |
| 10/12/1979 | W Of North Island | 22 km | 7.5 | 0 | |
| 02/09/1978 | S Of | 12 km | 7.7 | 0 | |
| 01/14/1976 | Kermadec Islands | 33 km | 8.0 | 0 | |
| 01/14/1976 | Kermadec Islands | 34 km | 7.8 | 0 | |
| 02/21/1973 | Hawkes Bay | 23 km | 5.1 | 0 | |
| 09/28/1970 | New Zealand | 5.1 | 0 | ||
| 07/25/1968 | S Of, Raoul | 7 km | 7.3 | 0 | |
| 05/23/1968 | South Island (Nw Coast) | 7.1 | 3 | ||
| 03/07/1961 | Kermadec Islands | 7.5 | 0 | ||
| 09/14/1959 | Kermadec Islands | 7.7 | 0 | ||
| 03/02/1956 | North Island | 5.3 | 0 | ||
| 02/27/1955 | Kermadec Islands | 7.8 | 0 | ||
| 03/14/1950 | N. New Zealand | 41 km | 5.8 | 0 |
These statistics are based on datas from the National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Several data have been summarized and translated. Foto taken from National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC, public domain).