It’s been a wild week in Wellington, with a bitterly cold southerly storm on Tuesday followed by a wild Sunday. Strong southerly and northerly winds, hail, thunder, and plenty of rain to lift Tawa’s rain gauge past a metre for the year to date.
Archive for October, 2006
Wild Welly
Monday, October 30th, 2006The Mysterious Auckland Hum
Sunday, October 29th, 2006Being sensitive to low frequencies can be a mixed blessing, so I have a lot of sympathy for those residents of Auckland’s North Shore who have been reporting humming or buzzing sensations in recent times.
Just Like the Old Days
Saturday, October 28th, 2006October’s equinoxial gales have transported me back about 10 years to the mid 90s when I could sit at the back door and watch the newly planted vege garden heading north under the tender ministrations of a southerly gale. If I had been more quick-witted, I could’ve grabbed some of the plants back a couple of days later as they hurtled by on their way to the South Pole in a northerly gale.
Strong Earthquake, Vanuatu
Thursday, October 19th, 2006A strong earthquake struck off the coast of the island of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, just before midnight.
The magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck at 11:46 p.m. New Zealand Daylight Saving Time on October 18th at a location further north of the previous day’s magnitude 5.2 event.
Tonight’s quake was centred 50 km NNE of Luganville, Espiritu Santo; 315 km NNW of Port Vila, Efate, Vanuatu at a depth of 140 km.
Despite the quake being an undersea event, a tsunami bulletin has not been issued probably owing to the earthquake’s depth.
[Compiled from data supplied by the US Geological Survey and its contributing agencies.]
Vanuatu Earthquake
Tuesday, October 17th, 2006A moderate earthquake struck 60 km north-west of Port Vila, Vanuatu just before three o’clock this afternoon.
The magnitude 5.2 quake which struck at 2:59 p.m. New Zealand Daylight Time was 44 km deep.
[Compiled from data supplied by the US Geological Survey and its contributing agencies.]
Strong Earthquake, Papua New Guinea
Tuesday, October 17th, 2006A strong earthquake struck the New Britain region of Papua New Guinea at 2:25 this afternoon, New Zealand time.
Initial analysis by the US Geological Survey has placed the magnitude 6.5 earthquake onshore at a depth of 58 km, 105 km ESE of Kimbe, New Britain or 575 km NE of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) issued a bulletin at 2:40 p.m. stating that a Pacific-wide tsunami threat did NOT exist based on historical data. The PTWC estimated the quake’s magnitude as 6.8.
Geonet Enhances Earthquake Reporting
Tuesday, October 17th, 2006Geonet have enhanced their earthquake web pages by offering interactive shake maps for reported earthquakes. The shake maps are compiled from instrument data and on-line questionnaires completed by the public.
EQC Reinsured
Friday, October 13th, 2006The Earthquake Commission (EQC) expected a hardened market for its reinsurance negotiations in 2006 following last year’s hurricanes in the United States.
Saturday Market at Tawa
Thursday, October 12th, 2006Tawa Lions have commenced a Saturday market in the Dress for Less car park near the Takapu Road railway station in Tawa.
Hydro Lake Storage Improves
Wednesday, October 11th, 2006Hydro lake storage improved during September, with strong inflows at the beginning and end of a month during which energy was transferred from the North Island to the South Island on most days.
Deep Quake, Central New Zealand
Tuesday, October 10th, 2006A very deep earthquake struck central New Zealand just after 11 o’clock overnight.
The magnitude 5.4 quake was located 50 km north-east of Collingwood, 160 km north-west of Wellington at a depth of 240 km at 11:05 p.m. NZDT.
A smaller quake of magnitude 3.3 struck at the shallower depth of 143 km nearby on October 7th at 4:54 p.m.
Geonet reports that tonight’s earthquake was felt in the northern South Island and southern North Island.
[Compiled from data provided by the Geonet project and its sponsors EQC, GNS Science and FRST.]
Island Watch: Earthquakes Near Tonga
Monday, October 9th, 2006A series of moderate to strong earthquakes struck at shallow depths south of Tonga this morning, New Zealand Time.
Eruption at Ruapehu Confirmed
Saturday, October 7th, 2006An expedition to Mt. Ruapehu’s crater lake today has confirmed that a small eruption occurred at the volcano on Wednesday night.
Activity at Mt. Ruapehu
Thursday, October 5th, 2006A series of earthquakes were recorded near Mt Ruapehu overnight, and a volcanic earthquake at 10:30 p.m. was reported by Geonet.
An attempt to determine whether a small eruption had occurred were thwarted this morning, when bad weather prevented observation from an aircraft.
Earthquake Swarm in Southern Alps
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006A swarm of seven earthquakes struck in the Southern Alps north-west of Mt Cook yesterday. Six of the quakes were at very shallow depths in an area about 30 km north-west of Mt Cook, with a much deeper event occurring near Fox Glacier.