Close to 2000 people reported feeling the quake.
The thousands woken by a moderate Hawke’s Bay earthquake did the right thing if they stayed in bed rather than getting up, Civil Defence says.
The 4.5 magnitude quake struck 5km south of Napier at 1.08am at a depth of 24km.
The number of people who reported feeling it on GeoNet’s website was 1961 as at 8am, the vast majority of them in Napier and Hastings, where earthquake alerts were received by some smartphones.
Some in Waipukurau and Wairoa also reported light shaking.
Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group described the quake as a “good shake” and offered tips for people woken by a quake late at night.
“If you are in bed when shaking starts, stay, cover, hold: Stay in bed.
“Cover yourself by pulling the sheets and blankets over you. Hold your pillow over you to protect your head and neck.
“You are less likely to be injured if you stay in bed.”
The advice was queried by some people online, who had been taught outdated advice to try to find a doorway in their house.
Hawke’s Bay Emergency Management director Shane Briggs said staying in bed during a quake that wakes you had been official advice for some time.
“We know that most people who felt the 4.5 magnitude earthquake near Napier in the middle of the night were in bed at the time – and that’s exactly where they should be until the shaking stops.
“People are far more likely to be injured if they get up and move around during an earthquake. Research using ACC injury data from the 2016 Kaikōura–Hurunui earthquake supports this."
Nicholas Horspool’s 2022 study found that people who moved around during an earthquake were up to four times more likely to get injured, Briggs said.
Those who moved to protect someone else were also more likely to be injured.
“If you’re awoken by strong shaking and have young children, your first instinct will be to rush to them.
“However, doing so can put you at risk. The advice is to wait until the shaking stops, then move safely.
“Ideally, your home will already be ‘quake-safe’ – for example, heavy furniture and nursery items secured – so you can be confident your tamariki are safe while the shaking is happening.
“Research consistently shows that ‘drop, cover, and hold’ is the best way to stay safe in earthquakes in New Zealand – and if you’re in bed, that becomes ‘stay, cover, and hold’.
Briggs said the advice was the same regardless of building type, and moving towards a doorway was no longer recommended.
“Doors can swing violently, striking people or trapping fingers.
“This older advice came from a time when buildings were constructed differently, and door frames were often the strongest part of a structure.
“Modern buildings are designed differently, and that’s no longer the case.”
The Horspool study also found that people who sought shelter in doorways were more likely to be injured, Briggs said.
Once the shaking stops people should get up if it was long and strong and they were in the blue tsunami evacuation zone, he said.
“Remember: Long or strong, get gone.
“If you’re unsure whether you’re in the blue zone, check at hbemergency.govt.nz/hazards/tsunami/
“Every earthquake is also a good reminder to check your emergency grab bag and household plan, so you’re ready to evacuate or be self-sufficient for a while if needed.
“Simple actions like securing heavy furniture and removing items that could fall above your bed can make a big difference in preventing injuries. Preparing your home now helps keep everyone in your household safer when the next earthquake hits.”