Seismic duty officer, Sheng-Lin Lin from Earth Sciences New Zealand, said a magnitude 5.1 earthquake felt in Te Araroa, as well as parts of the Bay of Plenty, appeared to be an isolated event.
Seismic duty officer, Sheng-Lin Lin from Earth Sciences New Zealand, said a magnitude 5.1 earthquake felt in Te Araroa, as well as parts of the Bay of Plenty, appeared to be an isolated event.
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake northeast of Te Araroa over the weekend was an “isolated event”, according to a seismic expert.
There were no felt reports of the quake from the vicinity of Gisborne city, recorded by Geonet at 7.55am on Sunday.
A quake was felt near Te Araroa.
Seismic duty officer Sheng-Lin Lin, of Earth Sciences NewZealand, which runs the GeoNet programme, said the “relatively large and shallow” quake wasn’t widely felt in the city because it was centred offshore, about 50km from Te Araroa.
“However, GeoNet received 45 felt reports predominantly in Te Araroa and Whakatāne regions, indicating that some people in the wider region did notice it,” Lin said.
He said the quake was not part of any ongoing trend.
“Based on our review of recent earthquake activity across the North Island, this event does not appear to be part of a broader pattern or ongoing sequence. It seems to be an isolated event.”
A quake was felt near Te Araroa and in parts of the Bay of Plenty.
He said there was no cause for concern, and quakes like this were usual.
“This region lies on the boundary between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates, so earthquake activity here is normal and expected. While each event is monitored closely, this quake is consistent with typical seismic behaviour for the area.
“This was an extensional earthquake in the top of the subducting plate. In this area the Pacific Plate is being stretched as it subducts under the Australian Plate, and this stretching often generates earthquakes like this one.”
He advised residents to remain cautious of big quakes in the future, as the district was coastal.
“The key safety message remains the same: Drop, Cover, and Hold during shaking. For coastal areas like Gisborne, we also emphasise: If it’s long or strong, get gone – this means if you feel a long or strong earthquake, move inland or to higher ground immediately, as a tsunami could follow.
“If you’re in bed, stay there and cover your head and neck with a pillow. If you’re in a wheelchair, lock the wheels and cover your head and neck as best you can.”
A ShakeOut drill is being held in the Gisborne District on October 16.
