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20th Century Earthquakes
Pre 1855
1855-1889
1890-1899
Date Location Magnitude Time Reference
1901 Nov 15 42.70 S 173.30 E 6.87 2015 (6)
1901 Nov 16 Cheviot 6.0-7.5 (1 death) (7)
1903 Aug 1 Hawke's Bay 6.0 1620 (6,7)
1904 Aug 8 Off Cape Turnagain 6.75 2251 (6,7)
1911 Jan 10 Wellington
"There was a sharp shock of earthquake here [Hawera] at 5.12 this
morning, followed by sustained minor shocks." (3)
1911 Feb 26 Blenheim? (4)
1911 Oct 5 Hawke's Bay 5.32 0736 (5,6,7)
1911 Oct 6 Masterton
"A shock of earthquake was felt here [Hawera] at 12.45pm today." (5)
1912 May 26 Taranaki 5.52 0635 (6,7)
1913 Feb 22 Westport 5.00 0106 (6,7)
1913 Apr 12 Wairarapa 5.7 (1 death) 0742 (6,7)
1914 Feb 8 Cook Strait 4.90 0001 (6,7)
1914 Winter NZ generally DROUGHT (2)
1914 Oct 6 6.66 1916 (6,7)
1914 Oct 7 East Cape Peninsula 6.0-7.5 (1 death) (7)
1914 Oct 28 East Cape Peninsula 6.42 0016 (6,7)
1914 Nov 22 East Cape Peninsula? 6.46 0814 (6,7)
1917 ... .. Northland FLOOD (2)
1917 Aug 5 40.80 S 176.00 E 6.61 1551 (6)
1917 Aug 6 North Wairarapa 6.0-7.5 (7)
1917 Nov 7 Ngaruahoe ERUPTION
Report: Northern Advocate 7 Nov 1917 (1)
1918 Nov 3 47.13 S 166.27 E 6.44 1114 (6)
1921 Jun 28 39.30 S 176.40 E 6.41 1358 (6)
1921 Jun 29 Hawke's Bay 6.0-7.5 (7)
1921 Sep 6 Poverty Bay area 5.00 0426 (6,7)
1922 Jun 9 38.60 S 176.10 E very shallow 2047 (6)
1922 Jun 18 38.60 S 176.10 E very shallow 1730 (6)
1922 Jun 19 Taupo District 6.0-7.5 (7)
1922 Jul 4 38.60 S 176.10 E 4.39 0515 (6)
1922 Jul 14 38.60 S 176.10 E 4.73 0356 (6)
1922 Jul 14 38.60 S 176.10 E 5.7 1952 (6)
1922 Jul 15 Taupo District 5.0+ (7)
1922 Jul 17 Taupo District 5.0+ (very shallow) 0419 (6,7)
1922 Jul 26 38.60 S 176.10 E very shallow 0416 (6)
1922 Sep 5 38.60 S 176.10 E 5.14 0233 (6)
1922 Dec 25 North Canterbury 6.42 0333 (6,7)
1925 Apr 30 South Marlborough 5.57 1005 (6,7)
1926 Nov 11 37.70 S 175.50 E 5.2 2251 (6)
1926 Nov 12 Bay of Plenty 5.0+ (7)
1927 Feb 25 37.00 S 179.00 E 6.16 1541 (6)
1927 May 18 North-west Nelson 5.0+ (7)
1928 Mar 6 39.00 S 174.10 E 6.0 1920 (6)
1928 Mar 7 South Taranaki bight? 6.0-7.5 (7)
1928 Mar 24 South Westland 4.84 2135 (6,7)
1929 Mar 9 Arthur's Pass 7.05 1050 (6,7)
1929 May 7 Manawatu 5.22 1614 (6,7)
1929 Jun 16 Buller 7.79 2247 (6,7)
Report: Northern Advocate 16 Jun 1929 (1)
1929 Jun 18 41.70 S 172.20 E 6.0 (2 shocks) 1431 & 2158 (6)
1929 Jun 19 41.70 S 172.20 E 4.95 0325 (6)
1929 Jun 19 41.69 S 172.43 E 5.54 0917 (6)
1929 Jun 20 41.70 S 172.20 E 6.3 1447 (6)
1929 Jun 22 41.49 S 172.86 E 6.24 1530 (6)
1929 Jun 22 41.88 S 172.85 E 5.86 1839 (6)
1929 Jul 15 41.65 S 172.29 E 5.71 0857 (6)
1930 Feb 12 Hikurangi Trench 6.21 0622 (6,7)
1930 Nov 9 West Nelson 5.5 0602 (6,7)
1930/31 Eastern New Zealand DROUGHT (2)
1931 Feb 2 Hawke's Bay 7.83 (256 deaths) 2246 (6,7)
Report: Northern Advocate 3 Feb 1931 (1)
Oral History Accounts Written Account Publications
Images on the Web Other web sites Those who died
1931 Feb 3 39.30 S 177.00 E 5.66 0841 (6)
1931 Feb 8 Hawke's Bay 6.31 0143 (6,7)
1931 Feb 13 Hawke's Bay 7.30 0127 (6,7)
1931 May 5 Poverty Bay 5.99 1458 (6,7)
1931 Sep 15 45.00 S 168.00 E 5.36 2222 (6)
1931 Sep 21 East Cape Peninsula 6.02 1334 (6,7)
1932 Mar 5 36.50 S 178.00 E 5.99 0140 (6)
1932 May 5 Hawke's Bay 5.87 0823 (6,7)
1932 Jul 20 South Taranaki Bight 5.11 0452 (6,7)
1932 Sep 15 Wairoa 6.87 1355 (6,7)
Report: Northern Advocate 16 Sep 1932 (1)
1934 Mar 5 Pahiatua 7.56 (1 death) 1146 (6,7)
Report: Northern Advocate 6 Mar 1934 (1)
1934 Mar 10 Southern Hawke's Bay 5.78 0758 (6,7)
1935 Mar 15 39.31 S 177.17 E 6.37 1046 (6)
1936 May 23 Bay of Plenty? 6.0-7.5 (7)
1936 Jul 9 Bay of Plenty? 6.0-7.5 (7)
1937 ... .. Mangakahia, Northland FLOOD (2)
1937 Jun 3 West Bay of Plenty 5.0+ (7)
1938 Jan 18 Northern Wairarapa 5.0+ (7)
1938 Oct 30 Northern Hawke's Bay 6.0-7.5 (7)
1938 Nov 15 Southern Hawke's Bay 6.0-7.5 (7)
1938 Dec 15 Hawke's Bay 5.61 0912 (6,7)
1938 Dec 16 45.00 S 167.00 E 7.05 1721 (6)
1938 Dec 30 Bay of Plenty? 6.0-7.5 (7)
1939 Feb 10 Fiordland? 5.5 1535 (6,7)
1939 Apr 20 46.50 S 167.50 E 6.05 2206 (6)
1940 Feb 6 39.50 S 176.50 E 6.0 0616 (6)
1940 Mar 19 39.00 S 176.50 E 5.17 1453 (6)
1940 Aug 2 39.10 S 178.20 E 4.69 0507 (6)
1940 Oct 7 Huiarau Range 5.13 0126 (6,7)
1940 Oct 11 39.80 S 179.60 E 5.00 1548 (6)
1941 Jan 9 East Cape Region 4.76 0239 (6,7)
Report: Northern Advocate 10 Jan 1941 (1)
1941 Apr 6 Southern Nelson 5.8 1806 (6,7)
1942 Jun 24 Southern Wairarapa 7.16 1116 (6,7)
Report: Northern Advocate Jan? 25-26 1942 (1)
1942 Aug 1 41.00 S 175.80 E 5.26 0447 (6)
1942 Aug 1 Southern Wairarapa 6.97 1234 (6,7)
Report: Northern Advocate 3 Aug 1942 (1)
1942 Oct 6 Northeast of New Zealand 7.1 (7)
1942 Dec 2 Wairarapa 6.01 0015 (6,7)
1943 Feb 17 Fiordland 6.33 0215 (6,7)
1943 Feb 17 Fiordland 4.81 1353 (6,7)
1943 Feb 20 37.39 S 177.03 E 5.2 1611 (6)
1943 Feb 21 34.51 S 177.88 E 5.6 0143 (6)
1943 Feb 25 Southern Wairarapa 5.5 (7)
1943 Mar 1 40.53 S 173.97 E 4.75 0744 (6)
1943 Mar 14 Fiordland 5.57 0845 (6,7)
1943 May 8 South Westland 5.45 0533 (6,7)
1943 Aug 2 46.20 S 166.61 E 6.58 0046 (6)
1943 Aug 23 Arthur's Pass 5.29 0706 (6,7)
1943 Sep 22 35.36 S 180.77 E 6.45 2318 (6)
1943 Oct 20 44.82 S 166.40 E 5.09 1251 (6)
1944 Mar 26 Southern Fiordland 5.5 (7)
1944 Aug 13 37.04 S 177.38 E 5.9 1053 (6)
1945 ... .. Temuka FLOOD (2)
1945 Jan 2 39.91 S 177.06 E 5.20 0456 (6)
1945 Sep 1 Southwest South Island 7.02 2244 (6,7)
1945 Sep 4 Southwest South Island 5.5-6.0 (7)
1945/46 Northland DROUGHT (2)
1946 Feb 4 36.32 S 177.19 E 5.59 2148 (6)
1946 Feb 12 Central North Island 5.14 0616 (6,7)
1946 Feb 26 Northern Hawke's Bay 5.6 0530 (6,7)
1946 Jun 26 Upper Rakaia 6.37 1234 (6,7)
1946 Jun 28 Upper Rakaia 6.02 0712 (6,7)
1946 Sep 29 35.16 S 178.84 E 5.3 0835 (6)
1947 Feb 17 Rotorua area 6.1 (7)
1947 Mar 25 East of Gisborne 7.20 2032 (6,7)
1947 May 5 Central North Island 5.8 0205 (6,7)
1947 May 17 38.28 S 178.67 E 7.18 0706 (6)
1947 Jun 16 East Cape Peninsula 5.0-5.5 (7)
1947 Aug 27 East of Hawke's Bay 6.85 1337 (6,7)
1947 Oct 13 Lake Wanaka Region 6.19 0731 (6,7)
1947 Nov 8 39.47 S 179.46 E 5.55 2241 (6,7)
1948 Jan 15 South Taranaki Bight 5.5 (7)
1948 May 22 Waiau 6.0+ (four shocks)
42.47 S 172.88 E 5.26 1857 (6)
42.48 S 172.99 E 6.43 1921 (6)
42.55 S 173.01 E 5.71 2001 (6)
42.49 S 172.86 E 5.61 2121 (6)
1948 Jun 19 South Westland 5.75 (two shocks)
43.37 S 169.02 E 5.7 0618 (6)
43.67 S 169.59 E 5.7 0705 (6)
1948 Jul 14 Lake Manapouri Region 5.5 (7)
1948 Oct 3 36.63 S 176.03 E 5.0 2158 (6)
1948 Dec 7 39.50 S 179.52 E 5.7 0819 (6)
1948 Dec 10 37.32 S 177.00 E 4.8 2016 (6)
1949 Feb 9 South Taranaki Bight 6.5+ (7)
1949 Feb 13 34.25 S 179.74 E 6.92 1824 (6)
1949 May 27 45.46 S 167.43 E 6.4 0854 (6)
1949 May 29 South Taranaki Bight 5.75+ (7)
1949 Jun 7 36.74 S 175.99 E 4.5 1828 (6)
1949 Jun 20 35.11 S 177.18 E 5.3 0435 (6)
1949 Dec 18 39.43 S 176.17 E 5.9 0935 (6)
1949 Dec 22 West Nelson 5.5 (7)
1950 Jan 7 Cook Strait 5.4 1421 (6,7)
1950 Jan 12 41.16 S 174.52 E 4.92 2048 (6)
1950 Jan 13 North Taranaki 6.5 (7)
1950 Feb 5 South of South Island 7.0 (7)
1950 Feb 28 Huiarau Range 5.8 1858 (6,7)
1950 Mar 12 Cook Strait 5.5-6.0 (7)
1950 Mar 13 Bay of Plenty 5.5-6.0 (7)
1950 Mar 13 40.54 S 174.00 E 5.6 0938 (6)
1950 Mar 18 Marlborough 5.5 (7)
1950 Mar 28 Hawke's Bay 5.5 (7)
1950 Jun 17 West of Lake Taupo 6.25 (7)
1950 Aug 5 South of South Island 7.3 (7)
1950 Sep 5 39.66 S 179.52 E 5.8 0204 (6)
1950 Oct 10 Fiordland 5.11 1842 (6,7)
1951 Jan 10 Cheviot 5.89 1915 (6,7)
1951 Feb 10 40.21 S 177.04 E 6.2 0327 (6)
1951 Mar 28 Bay of Plenty 7.0 (7)
1951 Apr 23 East Cape Region 5.68 0650 (6,7)
1951 Jun 24 Western Hawke's Bay 5.25 0441 (6,7)
1951 Jul 7 44.89 S 167.25 E 5.7 1015 (6)
1951 Oct 3 40.99 S 172.69 E 5.5 1738 (6)
1952 Feb 10 Gisborne 5.8 (7)
1952 Aug 28 Southern Hawke's Bay 5.91 1040 (6,7)
1953 Feb 7 Southwest of South Isl. 5.7 (7)
1953 Apr 11 Cook Strait 5.5 (7)
1953 Jun 8 North of Tasman Bay 6.0 (7)
1953 Jul 4 38.83 S 175.68 E 4.99 0207 (6)
1953 Jul 14 Lake Taupo 5.3 (7)
1953 Sep 29 Bay of Plenty 7.1 (7)
1953 Oct 18 North Taranaki Bight 4.88 0338 (6,7)
1954 May 4 Lake Te Anau 5.1 0241 (6,7)
1955 Mar 3 35.48 S 179.10 E 5.6 1602 (6)
1955 Jun 12 Seaward Kaikouras 5.1 (7)
1955 Dec 4 35.67 S 177.89 E 5.5 0201 (6)
1956 Jan 20 Bay of Plenty 6.0 (7)
1956 Jan 30 37.10 S 177.42 6.37 0843 (6)
1956 Feb 24 35.33 S 180.36 5.90 0918 (6)
1956 Mar 2 West of Lake Taupo 5.4 2243 (6,7)
1956 Dec 28 West of Tolaga Bay 6.47 1424 (6,7)
1957 Feb 9 Northwest of East Cape 6.75 (7)
1957 Feb 22 Southwest of Lake Taupo 4.88 0030 (6,7)
1957 Mar 13 West of Lake Taupo 6.5 (7)
1957 Aug 11 39.05 S 175.92 E 4.90 0512 (6)
1957 Aug 21 East Wairarapa 4.89 0548 (6,7)
1957 Sep 26 South Taranaki Bight 6.0 (7)
1957 Dec 31 West of Milford Sound 6.14 1428 (6,7)
1958 Jan 31 Eastern Hawke's Bay 5.12 0632 (6,7)
1958 Dec 10 Bay of Plenty 6.9 (7)
1959 May 22 Marlborough Sounds 4.83 0657 (6,7)
1959 Jul 30 Northeast of Wanganui 4.8 (7)
1960 Feb 3 East Cape 5.11 0221 (6,7)
1960 Feb 21 Southern Nelson 5.38 0046 (6,7)
1960 Mar 23 Taranaki 5.0 0101 (6,7)
1960 Mar 27 Taranaki 6.6 (7)
1960 May 24 Fiordland 6.53 1446 (6,7)
1961 Feb 3 Coromandel Peninsula (Sth) 6.0 (7)
1961 May 14 40.41 S 176.23 E 5.2 0012 (6)
1961 Jul 4 44.46 S 168.12 E 5.1 0823 (6)
1961 Jul 26 Bay of Plenty 6.3 (7)
1961 Dec 27 Hikurangi Trench 6.51 2347 (6,7)
1961/62 Northland DROUGHT (2)
1962 Jan 23 North Taranaki 4.47 0649 (6,7)
1962 Apr 17 Chatham Rise 4.70 1743 (6,7)
1962 May 10 Westport 5.88 0027 (6,7)
1962 May 10 Eastern Wairarapa 5.16 0430 (6,7)
1962 Sep 22 37.03 S 178.44 E 4.67 1508 (6)
1962 Sep 30 Te Puke 4.5 (7)
1962 Oct 15 South Westland 5.36 2336 (6,7)
1963 Apr 12 Huiarau Range 5.71 0841 (6,7)
1963 Dec 22 Near Kaitaia 4.36 1335 (6,7)
1964 ... .. Northland DROUGHT (2)
1964 Mar 8 North Fiordland 5.80 0135 (6,7)
1965 Apr 11 East of Kaikoura 5.75 0011 (6,7)
1965 May 20 Lake Te Anau 6.2 (7)
1965 Jun 15 Bay of Plenty 5.30 0920 (6,7)
1965 Dec 8 East Bay of Plenty 6.5 1805 (6,7)
(1) Northern Advocate Index 1906-1945 held at the Whangarei
Public Library.
(2) Floods and Droughts: the New Zealand Experience; Chap 3
Historic floods and droughts in New Zealand by John WAUGH,
Horace FREESTONE and Darryl LEW (1997).
(3) The Hawera and Normanby Star Tuesday 10 Jan 1911
(4) The Hawera and Normanby Star Monday 27 Feb 1911
(5) The Hawera and Normanby Star Friday 06 Oct 1911
(6) Magnitudes of New Zealand Earthquakes, 1901-1993 by
D. J. Dowrick and D. A. Rhoades - published in Bulletin of
the New Zealand National Society for Earthquake Engineering
Vol 31, No. 4, December 1998. Note: (Ms) = surface wave
magnitute; (Ml) = local magnitude
(7) An annotated list of New Zealand Earthquakes 1460-1965.
by G. A. Eiby (1967); New Zealand Journal of Geology and
Geophysics Vol 11, pages 630-647
Abstract
New Zealand earthquakes known to have had a large felt area
or to have caused damage are listed chronologically. Brief
descriptive notes, including epicentres and magnitudes when
known, and maximum reported intensities are given for each
earthquake. Over 170 shocks are listed.