Earth Quake

[ZK-KAG]

I see where you non-Aucklander's are coming from, however the Richter Scale is a measure of the magitude of the earthquake in the crust. But other factors have to be taken into account:

The severity of an earthquake ie. the magitude (Richter)
The location - Wanganui compared to Auckland...far more people are affected
The depth - speaks for itself
The epicentre - how close to a built up area etc..

From my Geo year 2 university textbook - "A Hazard is defined as an event that affects humans and their habitations, the severity of a hazard is determined on how many people and associated infrastructure is affected."
So a 9.3 EQ in Antarctica isnt going to be a huge hazard as there are not many people down there. But a 5.5 EQ in Auckland is going to affect a whole lot more people and the potential for damage and injuries is much greater.

Apart from what I have written above, I do think that there has been too much "hoo-haa" about this...it had little affect on anyone's lives. the only thing that can be said is that its the biggest to hit Auckland in 160 odd years...

Just my 5c worth

~ZK-KAG~

[towerguy]

these ones were nothing - we were in Gisborne when they had the last big one about 15? yrs back -that one had the house rocking and rolling and widespread damage right throughout poverty bay. Trying to get through the house to get the kids out of bed to safety was like trying to run after drinking a dozen! The water was sloshing out of both ends of the kitchen sink and onto the floor and it sounded like the train was going down the main road outside. It really did tend to get your attention, and that was a deepish one about 30km away. we didn't panic or anything , just had concerns, and it was kind of fun but its not fun that you would go out of your way to repeat given a choice.

[Brennanx]

The media still talks about the earth quakes making Aucklanders look soft and silly.

[Charl]

Well you know the media...columns to fill up.
It'd be a REAL test of, erm, manhood to face off against a 9 Richter EQ I guess.
"C'mon you ol' earthquake, I'm over HERE, hah, that the best you can do??"
Happily the news is old now, and we can move on to the next titillation.

[ardypilot]

I went in an earthquake simulator at Auckland Museum a while ago- that was pretty cool, but I wouldn't like to experience a severe one in real life!

[Charl]

Wasn't that Rangi blowing up?
Great view if you lived in St Mary's Bay huh?

[Brennanx]

trolly I whent to that to it had the news people and everything and had a little volcanoe come out of the sea and the house shook and stuff

[ardypilot]

Yep Brennan and Charl, you know what I am talking about

The house actually shook because of Rangitoto exploding, but it felt just like an earthquake would I pressume.

[Brennanx]

it wasn't rangy it was a new volcanoe comming out of the sea.

[omitchell]

Didn't feel it but seems to have opened up a couple of seems in the skirting of the walls

[Chookie]

So if there is volcanoes 'forming' does that mean there won't be an Auckland and Aucklanders soon?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I went in the simulator they have at Te Papa, I think it was from the Edgecumbe eaherquake in '87. It's pretty full on

[squirrel350]

Has just been two Earth Quakes 10KM North of Whakatane around 3.7 MAG.

SQ350

[JonARNZ]

Are we still on earthquakes? It musta rattled more than the light fittings then eh.

I live on the 10th floor of an apartment looking directly down into the fault line, thats the fault line we built SH1 on top of, you know, the main road in and out of Wellington, the same road we will be relying on after a big earthquake for supplies, rescue teams etc.

Anyway, a few years back we had a swarm of quakes, all reasonably shallow meaning they were quite strong. The thing with a tall building is the ground stops shaking, the building don't. Its a freaky sensation swaying from side to side. The biggest quake happened at about 9pm, perfect time for me at home on the puter. It was strong enough to crack three of the picture windows in 3 rooms, and left stress cracks in the wall on the north side.

Nothing fell of the wall or my desk, so it doesn't really count as a quake in my book. Ok, bravado aside, it was scary as and had me scampering for the front door and the elevator shaft, which is the strongest part of a building, so go there if you find yourself in an earthquake in a hi rise.

[Dreamweaver]

Has just been two Earth Quakes 10KM North of Whakatane around 3.7 MAG.

SQ350

You mean that swarm of EarthQuakes in the Area of Matata thats been carrying on for the last few weeks The focal point as moved a few kms closer to Whakatane in the latest events.

Wondered how long it would be before it was picked up by you guys

2701561 NZDT: Sun, Feb 25 2007 7:35 pm
Magnitude: 3.8 Depth: 5 km
10 km north of Whakatane, details...

2701556 NZDT: Sun, Feb 25 2007 7:19 pm
Magnitude: 3.7 Depth: 5 km
10 km north of Whakatane, details...

2701417 NZDT: Sun, Feb 25 2007 12:18 pm
Magnitude: 2.9 Depth: 4 km
Within 5 km of Matata, details...

2700647 NZDT: Fri, Feb 23 2007 8:40 pm
Magnitude: 3.0 Depth: 4 km
Within 5 km of Matata, details...

2700080 NZDT: Thu, Feb 22 2007 1:18 pm
Magnitude: 3.0 Depth: 7 km
Within 5 km of Matata, details...

2700042 NZDT: Thu, Feb 22 2007 11:20 am
Magnitude: 3.1 Depth: 6 km
10 km north of Matata, details...

2699813 NZDT: Wed, Feb 21 2007 11:23 pm
Magnitude: 3.8 Depth: 7 km
30 km east of Orewa, details...

2699766 NZDT: Wed, Feb 21 2007 9:00 pm
Magnitude: 4.5 Depth: 15 km
30 km east of Orewa, details...

2699754 NZDT: Wed, Feb 21 2007 8:24 pm
Magnitude: 3.7 Depth: 6 km
30 km east of Orewa, details...

2699618 NZDT: Wed, Feb 21 2007 12:41 pm
Magnitude: 4.4 Depth: 50 km
20 km north-east of Picton, details...

2699459 NZDT: Wed, Feb 21 2007 3:45 am
Magnitude: 2.7 Depth: 4 km
Within 5 km of Matata, details...

2699258 NZDT: Tue, Feb 20 2007 5:26 pm
Magnitude: 3.0 Depth: 8 km
10 km north-west of Murchison, details...

2698938 NZDT: Tue, Feb 20 2007 0:43 am
Magnitude: 2.6 Depth: 3 km
Within 5 km of Matata, details...

2698880 NZDT: Mon, Feb 19 2007 9:40 pm
Magnitude: 4.8 Depth: 33 km
160 km west of Halfmoon Bay, details...

2698745 NZDT: Mon, Feb 19 2007 2:29 pm
Magnitude: 3.4 Depth: 5 km
10 km north-east of Matata, details...

2695503 NZDT: Mon, Feb 12 2007 7:33 pm
Magnitude: 3.6 Depth: 40 km
Within 5 km of Norsewood, details...

2695436 NZDT: Mon, Feb 12 2007 2:06 pm
Magnitude: 4.0 Depth: 5 km
10 km north-east of White Island, details...

2695245 NZDT: Mon, Feb 12 2007 6:50 am
Magnitude: 2.5 Depth: 5 km
Within 5 km of Matata, details...

2694855 NZDT: Sun, Feb 11 2007 11:20 am
Magnitude: 3.9 Depth: 5 km
50 km south of Hokitika, details...

2693492 NZDT: Thu, Feb 08 2007 7:21 pm
Magnitude: 3.9 Depth: 30 km
30 km east of Wairoa, details...

2693483 NZDT: Thu, Feb 08 2007 6:50 pm
Magnitude: 3.7 Depth: 5 km
20 km north of Edgecumbe, details...

2692934 NZDT: Wed, Feb 07 2007 1:44 pm
Magnitude: 4.8 Depth: 50 km
40 km north-west of Wellington, details...

2691968 NZDT: Mon, Feb 05 2007 8:14 am
Magnitude: 5.3 Depth: 60 km
40 km east of Turangi, details...

2688747 NZDT: Mon, Jan 29 2007 5:49 am
Magnitude: 3.0 Depth: 5 km
Within 5 km of Matata, details...

2688688 NZDT: Mon, Jan 29 2007 2:21 am
Magnitude: 3.6 Depth: 20 km
20 km north-west of Gisborne, details...

2688371 NZDT: Sun, Jan 28 2007 7:18 am
Magnitude: 3.1 Depth: 2 km
10 km north-east of Matata, details...

2688244 NZDT: Sat, Jan 27 2007 11:24 pm
Magnitude: 5.0 Depth: 12 km
130 km north-east of Whangamata, details...

2687321 NZDT: Thu, Jan 25 2007 9:39 pm
Magnitude: 3.2 Depth: 5 km
20 km north-east of Murchison, details...

2686476 NZDT: Tue, Jan 23 2007 8:21 pm
Magnitude: 4.0 Depth: 12 km
40 km east of Ruatoria, details...

2686392 NZDT: Tue, Jan 23 2007 3:45 pm
Magnitude: 2.9 Depth: 5 km
10 km north-east of Matata, details...


Some scientific research has proved a connection with the Full Moon causing Gravitational pull between the Sun and the Moon being on opposite sides to the floating crust on Earth. Plate techtonics releases that pressure, most of the major volcanic eruptions of history occured within a day or two of a full moon.

Funny thing though most of the recent quakes have been shallow and of a low magnitude. Which means more chance of being felt in the local areas they occur.