Wild Land

A burst of earthquake activity struck near Eketahuna late this evening, Sunday 18th November 2007.

Three earthquakes struck within a three minute period just after 11 p.m. The largest event of the series was an 11:04 p.m. magnitude 3.8 quake located 10 km east of Eketahuna (30 km south of Pahiatua) at a depth of 30 km. This quake was felt as far north as Halcombe (near Bulls), at Palmerston North and Eketahuna.

GeoNet has not yet analysed data for the two other events of a similar (but lesser size) that struck just after 11:05 p.m. and at 11:07 p.m., but seismograph traces suggest a similar location and depth.

[Compiled from data provided by the Geonet project and its sponsors EQC, GNS Science and FRST.]

The aftershock sequence following yesterday’s major quake near Tocopilla, Chile has continued at a rapid pace.

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A major earthquake struck the west coast of Chile early this morning New Zealand time. The deep quake was located near the border with Bolivia and Argentina, and appears to have caused some injuries and damage, but no deaths have been reported.

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Another strong shallow earthquake struck near Macquarie Island this afternoon. The magnitude 6.5 earthquake which struck at 2:14 on Saturday 10th November 2007 (New Zealand Daylight Time) was located 275 km north of Macquarie Island (485 km west-south-west of Auckland Island) at a depth of 10 km.

Initial analysis by Geoscience Australia places the quake at magnitude 6.3 but further north and at greater depth.

On Sunday November 4th at 2:31 p.m. a magnitude 5.6 quake struck 310 km north-north-east of Macquarie Island (425 km west-south-west of Auckland Island) at a depth of 10 km. These quakes are occurring further south than the magnitude 7 quake and aftershocks near the Auckland Islands during September and October which were felt in the southern South Island.

[Compiled from data supplied by the US Geological Survey and its contributing agencies.]

Insurance claims arising from the series of earthquakes near Milford Sound during October have reached a total just shy of $2 million according to data released by disaster insurer, EQC.

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Two earthquakes struck the Kermadec Islands yesterday, Wednesday 7th November 2007.

The first event was a magnitude 4.5 quake at a depth of 400 km, located 475 km north-north-west of Raoul Island at 6:28 a.m. A magnitude 5.2 earthquake followed at 10:10 p.m. last night. The earthquake was located 235 km south-south-west of L’Esperance Rock (645 km north-east of Auckland) at a depth of 50 km.

[Compiled from data supplied by the US Geological Survey and its contributing agencies.]

A magnitude 5.4 quake struck 30 km south of St. Arnaud, 50 km north of Hanmer Springs this morning. The 60 km deep quake struck at 11:17 a.m. on Wednesday 7th November 2007 and had attracted 494 felt reports from the public by midday.

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Moderately strong earthquakes in Antarctica and Australia are infrequent, and two such events have been recorded this morning.

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A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck the southern Kermadec Islands this morning, Thursday 1st November 2007. The 11:07 a.m. quake was located 165 km south-south-east of L’Esperance Rock, 770 km east-north-east of Auckland at a depth of 35 km.

[Compiled from data supplied by the US Geological Survey and its contributing agencies.]