Series of strong to very strong earthquakes out of the New Zealand North Island coast

Last update: November 18, 2011 at 11:03 am by By

Earthquake overview :  3 earthquakes have struck 100 km out of the New Zealand East Cape coast. The earthquakes were largely observed by people on the East Cape.  The earthquake was felt as far as Rotorua.
"I have Felt it" Reports –> see below + Let us know "how you have felt this earthquake"
To read the full story as it happened, we advise our readers to start at the lower part of the page (earthquake data).

Keep this page open or return regularly as we will be back with more details when they become available

Update : Historic powerful earthquakes in the same area :
Same distance from the coast : M 7.0 and M 6.6 in 1995
Close to the coast : M 6.7 in 1914 and M 6.3 in 1956

Update : According to the USGS, who has reported an epicenter closer to the coast, the following theoretical MMI numbers could be expected : 213 MMI V, 6,000 MMI IV, 288,000 MMI II and III. These numbers are contradicted by the Geonet reported numbers and the registered shaking values. The current experience, like so many other experiences in the past, are showing the importance of a tight seismograph network. Especially epicenter location and depth have often even bigger error margins than officially reported in their data sets.

Update : There was NEVER a tsunami risk

Update : The earthquake has been felt as far as Rotorua

Update : Reports from New Zealanders reveal a max. MMI IV (light shaking). Although the numbers are looking very strong, only 26 people have reported the earthquake to Geonet. Both other earthquakes were only felt by very few people. MMI IV in New Zealand gets the notion : largely observed

Update : The epicenter is on top of a subduction slope in front of the coast. The subduction slope are in fact 2 tectonic plates gliding below each other. The damaging Christchurch earthquake was triggered by the same tectonic movements.

Update : We do NOT expect the M 6.1 earthquake to be damaging because of the depth of the hypocenter and the distance out of the coast.

Update : We have initiated this article after the 3th quake, the 6.1 magnitude earthquake.

Update : New Zealand GNS Science reports magnitudes of 5.3, 5.8 and 6.1 at depths of 12, 33 and 40 km. GNS Science data for New Zealand will be more precise than any other seismological agency in the world because of the many instruments they have installed all over New Zealand.

"I Have Felt It" reports as received by Earthquake-Report.com
- No Felt reports as yet, be the first to send us what you experienced.

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 6.1
UTC Time : Friday, November 18, 2011 at 07:51:27 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Friday, November 18, 2011 at 07:51:27 PM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 40 km (GNS Science)
Geo-location(s) :
150 km east of Tikitiki
150 km east of Te Araroa
158 km (98 miles) NE of Gisborne, New Zealand

Links to important maps
Geonet Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map showing the epicenter and the surrounding area.
Historic earthquakes map
Seismic hazard map
Shaking map
Focal mechanism report
Human impact map
GDACS earthquake report

QuakeSOS+ and QuakeSOS free are iPhone applications developed by Armand Vervaeck, the founder of Earthquake Report. The Application simplifies immediate group communication to friends and family members (with your exact GPS location) and is feeding the users with Earthquake Report news. The 0.99 US$ QuakeSOS+ version will support the activities of SOS Earthquakes.

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I did feel it – Ik heb het gevoeld – Το έκανα αισθάνεται –Yo lo he sentido – 我的确感到了 – 私はそれを感じていました- Ich habe es gefühlt – Bunu hissediyorum yaptı – لم أشعر أنه

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Tell us where in which location you felt the earthquake
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Your Email address might help us if we request for additional details about your experience. This field is NOT mandatory. It is up to you to give it or not.
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People :
Felt by persons at rest, on upper floors or favorably placed.
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People :
Felt indoors; hanging objects may swing, vibration similar to passing of light trucks, duration may be estimated, may not be recognized as an earthquake.
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People :
Generally noticed indoors but not outside. Light sleepers may be awakened. Vibration may be likened to the passing of heavy traffic, or to the jolt of a heavy object falling or striking the building.
Fittings :
Doors and windows rattle. Glassware and crockery rattle. Liquids in open vessels may be slightly disturbed. Standing motorcars may rock.
Structures :
Walls and frames of buildings, and partitions and suspended ceilings in commercial buildings, may be heard to creak.
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People :
Generally felt outside, and by almost everyone indoors. Most sleepers awakened. A few people alarmed.
Fittings :
Small unstable objects are displaced or upset. Some glassware and crockery may be broken. Hanging pictures knock against the wall. Open doors may swing. Cupboard doors secured by magnetic catches may open. Pendulum clocks stop, start, or change rate.
Structures :
Some large display windows cracked. A few earthenware toilet fixtures cracked.
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People Felt by all. People and animals alarmed. Many run outside. Difficulty experienced in walking steadily.
Fittings :
Objects fall from shelves. Pictures fall from walls. Some furniture moved on smooth floors, some unsecured free-standing fireplaces moved. Glassware and crockery broken. Very unstable furniture overturned. Small church and school bells ring. Appliances move on bench or table tops. Filing cabinets or "easy glide" drawers may open (or shut).
Structures :
Slight damage to buildings with low standard. Some stucco or cement plaster falls. Large display windows broken. Damage to a few weak domestic chimneys, some may fall.
Environment :
Trees and bushes shake, or are heard to rustle. Loose material may be dislodged from sloping ground, e.g. existing slides, talus slopes, shingle slides.
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People
General alarm. Difficulty experienced in standing. Noticed by motorcar drivers who may stop.
Fittings :
Large bells ring. Furniture moves on smooth floors, may move on carpeted floors. Substantial damage to fragile contents of buildings.
Structures :
Unreinforced stone and brick walls cracked. Low standard buildings cracked with some minor masonry falls. A few instances of damage to buildings of ordinary workmanship. Unbraced parapets, unbraced brick gables, and architectural ornaments fall. Roofing tiles, especially ridge tiles may be dislodged. Many unreinforced domestic chimneys damaged, often falling from roof-line. Water tanks Type I burst. A few instances of damage to brick veneers and plaster or cement-based linings. Unrestrained water cylinders (hot-water cylinders) may move and leak. Some common windows cracked. Suspended ceilings damaged.
Environment :
Water made turbid by stirred up mud. Small slides such as falls of sand and gravel banks, and small rock-falls from steep slopes and cuttings. Instances of settlement of unconsolidated or wet, or weak soils. Some fine cracks appear in sloping ground. A few instances of liquefaction (i.e. small water and sand ejections).
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People Alarm may approach panic. Steering of motorcars greatly affected. Structures : Low standard buildings heavily damaged, some collapse. ordinary workmanship buildings damaged, some with partial collapse. Reinforced masonry or concrete buildings damaged in some cases. A few instances of damage to buildings and bridges designed and built to resist earthquakes. Monuments and pre-1976 elevated tanks and factory stacks twisted or brought down. Some pre-1965 infill masonry panels damaged. A few post-1980 brick veneers damaged. Decayed timber piles of houses damaged. Houses not secured to foundations may move. Most unreinforced domestic chimneys damaged, some below roof-line, many brought down. Environment : Cracks appear on steep slopes and in wet ground. Small to moderate slides in roadside cuttings and unsupported excavations. Small water and sand ejections and localized lateral spreading adjacent to streams, canals, lakes, etc.
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Structures Many low standard buildings destroyed. Ordinary workmanship buildings heavily damaged, some collapse. Reinforced masonry or concrete buildings damaged, some with partial collapse. Buildings and bridges designed and built to resist earthquakes damaged in some cases, some with flexible frames seriously damaged. Damage or permanent distortion to some buildings and bridges, designed and built to normal use standards. Houses not secured to foundations shifted off. Brick veneers fall and expose frames. Environment : Cracking of ground conspicuous. Landsliding general on steep slopes. Liquefaction effects intensified and more widespread, with large lateral spreading and flow sliding adjacent to streams, canals, lakes, etc.
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