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 the direct consequences of earthquakes. There were 29 earthquakes that also caused a subsequent tsunami, which claimed further lives, and cause additional damage.
Other natural hazards in New Zealand:
› Volcanoes
› Tsunamis
› Cyclones
› The most severe earthquakes in the world
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Severe earthquake on May 31st
On the afternoon of May 31st, 2023, a devastating earthquake occurred Auckland Islands at 14:21 local time. The quake had a magnitude of 6.3 points on the Richter scale and occurred at a depth of about 10 kilometers. Such violent earthquakes occur only rarely. It is the strongest earthquake in New Zealand in 37 days. As recently as April 24th, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred about Kermadec Islands.Most recent events
This list includes the strongest earthquakes recorded in or around New Zealand by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the past 14 days. Whether an event is listed here depends largely on its magnitude, but also on its distance from inhabited areas. All data refer to the local time. This page is updated daily at 10:00 UTC.
- May 31, 2:21 pmMagnitude 6.3: Auckland Islands at a depth of 9.8 km.
Earthquakes in New Zealand since 1950
The strongest earthquake in New Zealand happened on 10/20/1986 in the Raoul region with a magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami, leading to further victims and destruction. | Date | Region | Depth | Magnitude | Deaths | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/24/2023 | South Of | 43 km | 7.1 | 0 | |
| 03/16/2023 | Kermadec Islands | 22 km | 7.0 | 0 | |
| 11/30/2022 | Taupo | 7 km | 5.4 | 0 | |
| 01/29/2022 | Kermadec Islands | 10 km | 6.5 | 0 | |
| 03/04/2021 | Sse Of Raoul Island | 19 km | 8.1 | 0 | |
| 03/04/2021 | Gisborne | 20 km | 7.3 | 0 | |
| 03/04/2021 | South Of, Raoul | 55 km | 7.4 | 0 | |
| 06/18/2020 | South Of, Raoul | 10 km | 7.4 | 0 | |
| 06/15/2019 | South Of, Raoul | 34 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 | West Of North Island | 14 km | 7.6 | 0 | |
| 10/05/1980 | Gisborne, Hawera, Eastbourne, Napier | 49 km | 5.6 | 0 | |
| 10/12/1979 | West Of North Island | 22 km | 7.5 | 0 | |
| 02/09/1978 | South 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 | South 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. Data have been summarized and translated.
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