New Zealand's top earthquakes

A list of significant New Zealand earthquakes.

M 6.8, Gisborne, December 20 2007

This offshore event caused buildings to collapse in the Gisborne CBD.

M 6.5, Edgecumbe, March 2 1987

The shallow origin of this earthquake made it very destructive.

M 7.1, Inangahua, May 24 1968

The 1968 Inangahua earthquake caused widespread damage and was felt over much of the country.

M 7.0, Wairarapa II, August 2 1942

The shock that struck the Wairarapa Region on August 2 was nearly as severe as the disastrous June 24 earthquake five weeks earlier.

M 7.2, Wairarapa I, June 24 1942

This earthquake severely rocked the lower North Island on June 24 1942, causing extensive damage to local buildings.

M 7.6, Horoeka (Pahiatua), March 5 1934

The 1934 Horoeka earthquake shook the lower North Island on March 5 1934 and was felt as far away as Auckland and Dunedin.

M 7.8, Hawke's Bay, February 3 1931

The 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake caused the largest loss of life and most extensive damage of any quake in New Zealand’s recorded history.

M 7.8, Buller (Murchison), June 17 1929

The massive rumbling of the 1929 Buller earthquake was heard as far away as New Plymouth.

M 7.1, North Canterbury, September 1 1888

In 1888 the Amuri District was shaken by a large earthquake that reached intensities of MM 9.

M 8.2, Wairarapa, January 23 1855

The 1855 earthquake is the most severe earthquake to have occurred in New Zealand since systematic European colonisation began in 1840.

M 7.8, Marlborough, October 16 1848

The earthquake that shook Marlborough on Monday, October 16 1848 was the largest in a series of earthquakes to hit the region that year.

Historic Earthquakes Gallery

Find out about some of New Zealand's largest historic earthquakes.