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Earthquakes in Christchurch 2011, New Zealand

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. 26 earthquakes also caused a subsequent tsunami, which claimed further lifes and damages.

Other natural hazards in New Zealand:
› Volcanos
› Tsunamis
› Cyclones
› The most severe natural disasters worldwide


Back to overview: New Zealand

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 11am UTC.

Recent earthquakes in New Zealand
  • Sept. 30, 7:37 pm
    Magnitude 4.7: Kermadec Islands at a depth of 365.04 km.
  • Sept. 22, 9:07 pm
    Magnitude 5.2: 59 km north of Picton at a depth of 62.93 km.
  • Sept. 22, 4:28 pm
    Magnitude 4.2: off the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand at a depth of 279.64 km.
  • Sept. 21, 6:18 am
    Magnitude 4.6: south of the Kermadec Islands at a depth of ten km.
  • Sept. 20, 7:05 am
    Magnitude 4.9: south of the Kermadec Islands at a depth of 10.02 km.
  • Sept. 20, 5:10 pm
    Magnitude 4.5: Kermadec Islands at a depth of 354.44 km.
  • Sept. 17, 12:06 am
    Magnitude 5.3: Kermadec Islands at a depth of 11.47 km.


Earthquakes in New Zealand since 1950

Earthquakes in Christchurch 2011, New ZealandThe 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.
DateRegionDepthMagnitudeDeathsTotal damage
01/29/2022Kermadec Islands10 km6.50
03/04/2021South Of, Raoul55 km7.40
03/04/2021Gisborne20 km7.30
03/04/2021Sse Of Raoul Island19 km8.10
06/18/2020South Of, Raoul10 km7.40
06/15/2019South Of, Raoul34 km7.20
11/13/2016Amberley34 km7.82
09/01/2016Gisborne3 km7.00
06/23/2014Sse Of Raoul Island34 km6.90
01/20/2014Wellington, Manawatu-Wanganui35 km6.10
08/16/2013Wellington, Marlborough47 km6.50
07/21/2013Cook Strait31 km6.50
12/23/2011South Island (Christchurch)38 km5.80
12/03/2011Cook Strait10 km5.30
10/21/2011Kermadec Islands16 km7.40
07/06/2011Kermadec Islands18 km7.60
06/13/2011South Island (Canterbury)49 km6.01
02/21/2011Christchurch, Lyttelton42 km6.1181
12/25/2010Christchurch15 km4.50
09/07/2010South Island (Canterbury)57 km5.00
09/06/2010North Island (Porangahau)33 km5.10
09/06/2010South Island (Christchurch)1 km5.00
09/03/2010Christchurch47 km7.00
07/15/2009Off West Coast Of South Island29 km7.80
08/25/2008North Island19 km5.50
12/20/2007Off Coast North Island15 km6.61
12/09/2007Kermadec Islands20 km7.80
10/15/2007South Island (Fiordland)36 km6.80
09/30/2007Auckland Islands34 km7.40
01/20/2005North Island30 km5.30
11/22/2004Invercargill, Southland, Otago23 km7.10
07/18/2004North Island (Rotorua, Tauranga)22 km5.41
09/29/2003Christchurch32 km4.80
08/21/2003Dunedin, invercargill, te Anau, fiordland49 km7.20
02/05/1995North Island; S Island (Christchurch)5 km7.10
06/18/1994South Island (Christchurch)15 km6.80
06/18/1993Kermadec Islands54 km6.60
09/08/1991Wellington, Wanganui30 km5.60
05/13/1990Dannevirke, Wellington9 km6.30
03/02/1987North Island, Whakatani, Edgecumbe34 km6.61
10/20/1986Raoul9 km8.10
05/25/1981West Of North Island14 km7.60
10/05/1980Gisborne, Hawera, Eastbourne, Napier49 km5.60
10/12/1979West Of North Island22 km7.50
02/09/1978South Of12 km7.70
01/14/1976Kermadec Islands34 km7.80
01/14/1976Kermadec Islands33 km8.00
02/21/1973Hawkes Bay23 km5.10
09/28/1970New Zealand 5.10
07/25/1968South Of, Raoul7 km7.30
05/23/1968South Island (Nw Coast) 7.13
03/07/1961Kermadec Islands 7.50
09/14/1959Kermadec Islands 7.70
03/02/1956North Island 5.30
02/27/1955Kermadec Islands 7.80
03/14/1950N. New Zealand41 km5.80


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.
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