Great
Earthquakes In Diverse Places
New Zealand: Auckland jolted by earthquake
Last updated 21:30 01/07/2011
Aucklanders were shaken by a magnitude-2.9 earthquake at 9.09pm
tonight.
The earthquake was centred just off Mission Bay at a depth of 9km,
and felt across Remuera, the North Shore and east Auckland.
There were no reports of damage.
GeoNet duty seismologist Lara Bland said Auckland was not a very
seismically active area, so tonight's quake was unusual.
In 2007, the region experienced a series of small quakes, and
Bland said there was a possibility this could be the start of a
similar pattern.
''There's small bouts of activity now and then,'' she said.
Bland also said it was ''very doubtful'' the activity in
Christchurch caused last night's Auckland quake.
Did you feel the earthquake? Let us know here
National list MP Dr Jackie Blue, who lives in Auckland's St Mary's
Bay, said the earthquake "felt like a gush of wind had gone over
the roof".
"There was a big jolt and Auckland doesn't get earthquakes, so
this was scary,'' Dr Blue said.
''It's quite scary given what has happened in Christchurch and to
think it could happen to Aucklanders is worrying and unnerving.''
Auckland weather analyst Philip Duncan said the quake was ''tiny''
compared with the aftershocks in quake-stricken Christchurch.
The largest earthquake known to have affected the Auckland region
was a magnitude-6.0 jolt centred near the mouth of the Waikato
River on June 24, 1891.
It brought down a chimney in Auckland's Onehunga district, but
otherwise caused only minor damage to fragile items and
plasterwork.