Huge Earthquake in NZ, Thankfully minimal casualties

[BrabusAMG]

Just thought I'd mention that a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the South Island at midnight last night. International news companies are already reporting on it, so it's likely you'll get more news from your local channels.


Basic information:

The quake was only 23 km deep and was felt to varying degrees all over the country (including by me).

It seems that the quake was actually two striking almost simultaneously, which would be why aftershocks are happening in two locations.

A 2 metre tsunami has hit Kaikoura, which has had road access cut off by large landslides.

A five-metre tsunami hit a beach on Banks Peninsula, severely damaging a 100-year-old cottage.

A Category 2 listed homestead from the 1870s has collapsed, killing one person.

So far, only one other death has been reported, even though lots of buildings and roads have been severely damaged.

Christchurch's USAR team has been sent to Kaikoura, as well as military helicopters.

Aftershocks are continuing, some reached magnitude 6 or more. A magnitude 6.4 aftershock struck at 1.35 PM.


News agencies are running live blogs on the aftermath, so you can get more information from there.

This post has been edited by BrabusAMG on Nov 14 2016, 01:21 AM

[Paul Spain]

Were their any injuries or casualties?

[BrabusAMG]

One person died when the 1870s homestead collapsed; and another person died of a heart attack in Mt Lyford.

Injuries have been fairly minor so far. I have relatives in Kaikoura; they're fine.

Here's a map so you know where everything is. A couple of Navy ships and helicopters have arrived and are evacuating people. They will be joined by more NZ ships, plus vessels and aircraft from the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, which were already in Auckland for the NZ Navy's 75th anniversary.

Kaikoura is inaccessible by road at the moment. There are only three ways in/out. This is north:



This is south:



This is west:




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Around Kaikoura:









The seabed is now the seashore:


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Wellington, 300 km north-east, also suffered damage in the CBD and waterfront. This is the new Statistics NZ building, not far away from Parliament:



The fire station and police station in Blenheim were also damaged.

The town clock in Timaru, a city 300 km to the south-west, stopped when the first earthquake struck.

The epicentre was actually in Culverden, roughly half-way between Timaru and Wellington. However, scientists say that it looks like two quakes striking at once, the other was centred near Seddon. That would explain why the most severe damage happened between those areas.


On op of that, Wellington also got torrential rain yesterday, so now they have floods to deal with as well.

[Paul Spain]

Sorry to hear of the deaths. Reading those town/city names though..Intresting..It' seems New Zealand has more Japanese and German influences in names of places than British like Australia does.

[BrabusAMG]

The name Blenheim is originally German, yes, but the town is named after Blenheim Palace in England (oddly pronounced 'Blennim'), where the Duke of Marlborough lives. The region (province) where the town of Blenheim is located is named Marlborough, after him. Fun Fact: I was born in Blenheim.

There are a few other German names, come to think of it. There's a settlement in the West Coast called Berlins; in Tasman there's a village formerly called Sarau and an area called Neudorf (which ironically has no 'new town').

There are a lot of Scottish names too, especially in the south (Dunedin, Mosgiel, Invercargill). Kaikoura and Timaru are actually Maori names, although I can understand why they might be confused for Japanese; Wanaka and Hāwea, in my district, sound like it as well.

[slego9]

My friends family is still in new zealand I remember freaking out when I heard about this, glad to hear all of the countries coming together to help with relief efforts. I feel bad for the people who may have losed there houses and loved ones. We dont get earhtquakes here in Nova Scotia just hurricanes.

[CVPI19]

Sorry to hear about this Max I know that there was also a another earthquake in Japan in the Tohoku region the site of the earthquake and tsunami from 5 years ago that happened on Tuesday morning Japanese time and Monday afternoon and evening American time.