Significant New Zealand earthquakes in the past 10 years (Date, Location, Magnitude on the Richter Scale, Depth)
May 26, 1997 - Kermadec Islands, 1000km northeast of Auckland, 7.1 (revised) 519km; Felt widely in the North Island and as far south as Christchurch.
July 4, 1995 - Kermadec Islands, 7.1, 30km; triggered landslides
on the islands.
Feb 6, 1995 - Offshore East Cape, 7.0
Aug 10, 1993 - Secretary Island, Fiordland. 6.7, 5km
April 11, 1993 - Tikokino, central Hawke's Bay, 6.1, 35km
March 30, 1992 - Wilberforce River, tributary of the Rakaia River, 5.8, 5km
Sept 8, 1991 - Patea, 6.3, 87km
May 13, 1990 - Weber, southern Hawke's Bay, 6.2, 30km
Feb 19, 1990 - Weber, southerm Hawke's Bay, 5.9, 34km
May 31, 1989 - Doubtful Sound, 6.1, 23km
June 3, 1988 - Te Anau, 5.7, 73km
March 2, 1987 - Edgecumbe, 6.3, 8km.
Earlier NZ earthquakes causing deaths:
May 24, 1968 - Inangahua, 7.0, three deaths
March 5, 1934 - Pahiatua, 7.6, one death
Feb 3, 1931 - Hawke's Bay, 7.8, 256 deaths
June 17, 1929 - Buller/Murchison, 7.8, 17 deaths
Oct 7, 1914 - East Cape, 7.0 to 7.5, one death
Nov 17, 1901 - Cheviot, 7.0, one death
Jan 23, 1855 - Wairarapa, 8.1, five deaths (NZ's greatest
earthquake in terms of magnitude)
Oct 16, 1848 - Marlborough, 7.5, three deaths
July 8, 1843, Wanganui, 7.5, two deaths
Other significant NZ earthquakes, not necessarily causing death:
June 24, 1942 - Wairarapa, 7.2
August 2, 1942 - Wairarapa, 7.0
Feb 13, 1931 - Hawke's Bay, 7.3
March 9, 1929 - Arthur's Pass, 7.1
Feb 12, 1893 - Nelson, 6.9
Sept 1, 1888 - North Canterbury, 7.3
Oct 19, 1868 - Cape Farewell, 7.5
Feb 23, 1863 - Hawke's Bay, 7.5
Around the world, the following earthquakes have each killed more than 1000 people in the past 10 years (magnitudes are based on the Richter scale):
Sept 21, 1999, Taiwan: 7.6, at least 2000 killed
Aug 17, 1999, Turkey: 7.4, about 15,600 killed
Jan 25, 1999, Colombia: 6.3, at least 1170 killed
July 17, 1998, Papua New Guinea: Undersea quake 7.1 created three tidal waves, at least 2100 people killed
May 30, 1998, Afghanistan: 6.9, killed up to 4000
Feb 4, 1998, Afghanistan: 6.1, 4500 killed
May 10, 1997, Iran: 7.1, killed 1560
Feb 28, 1997, Iran: 5.5, killed 1000
May 28, 1995, Russia: 7.5, killed 1989
Jan 17, 1995, Japan: 7.2, killed 6430
Sept 30, 1993, India: A series of quakes, first tremor 6.4, almost 10,000 killed.
- NZPA
