Where has there been one or more recent earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater?
Fiordland was hit by a 7.8 earthquake on Wednesday night adding to a history of strong earthquakes across New Zealand. Notable New Zealand earthquakes of modern times include the 6.8 magnitude Gisborne quake of December 20, 2007, which was offshore but caused buildings to collapse in the Gisborne CBD, and 20 years before, Edgecumbe’s 6.5 quake on March 2, 1987, which was very destructive because of its shallowness. The top 10 quakes recorded in this country are: -8.2, Wairarapa, January 23, 1855 – The most severe earthquake to have happened in New Zealand since systematic European colonisation began in 1840. -7.8, Fiordland, July 16, 2009 – only 12km deep and on the coastline near Milford. -7.8, Napier, February 3, 1931 – The 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake caused the largest loss of life and most extensive damage of any recorded NZ quake. -7.8, Murchison, June 17, 1929 – The massive rumbling of the 1929 Buller earthquake was heard as far away as New Plymouth. Sources:
A strong earthquake in Fiordland sparked a 90-minute tsunami alert and rattled much of the South Island last night but appeared to have caused little damage, authorities said. The alert from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii was issued for southern New Zealand soon after the 7.8 magnitude quake struck in Fiordland 100 kilometres north-west of Tuatapere, Southland, about 12 kilometres deep at 9.22pm. Centre oceanographer Nathan Becker said the alert was cancelled an hour and a half later, once it was clear there was no threat. A tide gauge in Jackson Bay, on the West Coast, showed only a 17cm swell, while a buoy in the Tasman Sea showed only a 5cm deflection in normal sea level. A 6.1 magnitude aftershock was registered by GNS Science about 20 minutes after the main quake this time at sea 150km west of Tuatapere, at a depth of 5km. While the two quakes were a long way from any towns, Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group public information manager Eirwen Tulett s
