article: Dec 14 2005 - Moderate Quakes Rock Lower North Island

Two moderate earthquakes rocked the lower North Island yesterday.

Distribution of the 294 felt responses received up until early last night.

Northern Wairarapa - 2:55 am

Two moderate earthquakes rocked the lower North Island yesterday. The first struck just before 3:00 am this morning, measuring magnitude 5.0 and located in the northern Wairarapa between Pahiatua and Pongaroa. As it was at a depth of 25 km, it was sufficient to cause some minor damage. We received one report from Dannevirke reporting items off shelves and some household objects being displaced.

The Modified Mercalli (MM) shaking levels, the brief definition of their effects on people, and the localities that experienced them, are shown below. Where a number appears in square brackets [n], 'n' reports were received from that locality:

• MM 6 - "Felt by all. People and animals alarmed. Many run outside. Difficulty experienced in walking steadily":
  Dannevirke.
  
  
• MM 5 - "Generally felt outside, and by almost everyone indoors. A few people alarmed":
  Aokautere [2], Ashhurst, Dannevirke [9], Hokowhitu, Mangamutu, Mauriceville West, Ohakune, Pahiatua, Palmerston North [7], Pohangina [2], Pongaroa, Terrace End, Wanganui, West End, Woodville.
  
  
• MM 4 - "Generally noticed indoors but not outside. Vibration may be likened to the passing of heavy traffic, or to the jolt of a heavy object falling or striking the building":
  Alicetown, Aokautere [8], Aototara, Aramoho [3], Ashhurst [9], Awapuni [8], Brunswick, Bunnythorpe, Carterton [2], Castlecliff, Cloverlea, Dannevirke [14], Durie Hill, Eketahuna, Fairfield, Feilding [16], Fitzherbert, Foxton, Gonville, Hawera, Hokowhitu [16], Kai Iwi, Kairanga, Kelburn, Kelvin Grove [7], Kimbolton, Kumeroa, Levin [3], Longburn, Makuri, Mangatainoka [2], Mangaweka, Marton, Massey University [3], Masterton [3], Maxwell, Milson [2], Newtown, Norsewood, Ohakune [2], Otaki, Pahiatua [9], Palmerston North [46], Papakowhai, Paraparaumu [2], Pauatahanui, Pohangina [3], Raetihi, Rangataua, Raumati, Raumati Beach, Raumati South [3], Ridgeview Rd, Rongotea [2], Roslyn [2], Shannon, Silverstream [2], Springvale [3], Stokes Valley, Summerhill, Taihape, Takaro [4], Te Whiti, Terrace End [6], Tinakori, Waipawa [3], Waipukurau [2], Waitarere, Waituna West [2], Wanganui [11], Wanganui East [5], Waterloo, Wellington, West End [5], Westmere, Whitby, Woodville [7].
  
  
• MM 3 - "Felt indoors; hanging objects may swing, vibration similar to passing of light trucks, may not be recognised as an earthquake":
  Marton.
  
  
• Also felt, but MM not determined:
  Hawera.
  
  
• Reported not felt:
  Stokes Valley.
  
  

Distribution of the 532 felt responses received up until early last night.

Wellington - 9:09 pm

The second earthquake of the day, a magnitude 4.5 tremor, struck just after 9:00 pm in the evening, and was widely felt throughout Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Porirua. As of this morning, we had received 532 questionnaire responses to this shake. Our apologies once again for those who had difficulties getting their questionnaires submitted: we are having to find new ways to cope with your overwhelming response! We received reports of minor damage, such as things off shelves, from Wellington (Hataitai, Seatoun, Churton Park, Newlands, Aro Valley), Porirua (Whitby, Ranui Heights), Lower Hutt (Avalon, Belmont) and Wainuiomata. Also some reports of cupboard doors thrown open and objects sliding a little. The greatest damage reported was from Titahi Bay where many things had come off shelves, and a picture was knocked off the wall.

The Modified Mercalli (MM) shaking levels, the brief definition of their effects on people, and the localities that experienced them, are shown below. Where a number appears in square brackets [n], 'n' reports were received from that locality:

• MM 6 - "Felt by all. People and animals alarmed. Many run outside. Difficulty experienced in walking steadily":
  Titahi Bay.
  
  
• MM 5 - "Generally felt outside, and by almost everyone indoors. A few people alarmed":
  Avalon, Belmont [2], Churton Park [3], Elsdon, Hataitai, Island Bay [2], Johnsonville, Kelburn, Maungaraki, Newlands [3], Ngaio, Papakowhai, Paraparaumu, Paremata, Pauatahanui [2], Plimmerton, Porirua, Pukerau Bay, Ranui Heights, Seatoun Heights, Stokes Valley [2], Tawa [2], Wainuiomata, Wellington [3], Whitby [4].
  
  
• MM 4 - "Generally noticed indoors but not outside. Vibration may be likened to the passing of heavy traffic, or to the jolt of a heavy object falling or striking the building":
  Alicetown, Ascot Park [2], Avalon [5], Belmont [4], Berhampore [7], Birchville, Broadmeadows [3], Brooklyn [8], Brown Owl [2], Camborne [3], Cannons Creek, Chartwell, Churton Park [9], Crofton Downs [2], Eastbourne [9], Epuni [5], Fairfield, Featherston, Greenacres, Grenada Village [2], Harbour View, Hataitai [11], Heretaunga, Houghton Bay, Island Bay [8], Johnsonville [15], Judgeford, Karehana Bay, Karori [17], Kelburn [7], Kelson [6], Khandallah [20], Kilbirnie [3], Kingsley Heights, Korokoro [2], Linden [2], Lower Hutt [10], Lyall Bay [2], Mahau Sound, Maoribank, Maungaraki [3], Maupuia [3], Melrose [3], Miramar [8], Moera, Mornington, Mount Cook [2], Mount Victoria [8], Naenae [4], Newlands [11], Newtown [7], Ngaio [5], Ngauranga, Normandale [5], Northland [7], Okoia, Owhiro Bay, Paekakariki [3], Palmerston North [2], Papakowhai [6], Paparangi [5], Paraparaumu [5], Paraparaumu Beach [3], Paremata [2], Pauatahanui [2], Petone [7], Picton [4], Pinehaven [2], Plimmerton [4], Porirua [3], Pukerua Bay [3], Raumati Beach [2], Raumati South, Redwood, Rongotai, Rongotea, Roseneath [2], Seatoun [3], Silverstream [5], Stokes Valley [8], Strathmore Park, Taita, Tawa [9], Te Marua, Titahi Bay [12], Totara Park, Trentham [7], Upper Hutt [4], Wadestown [7], Waikanae [3], Wainuiomata [17], Waiwhetu [6], Waterloo [3], Wellington [41], Whitby [19], Whitemans Valley, Wilton [3], York Bay.
  
  
• MM 3 - "Felt indoors; hanging objects may swing, vibration similar to passing of light trucks, may not be recognised as an earthquake":
  Blenheim, Carterton, Featherston [3], Hokowhitu, Miramar, Newlands, Ngaio, Palmerston North [2], Paraparaumu, Roseneath, Waikanae Beach, Wellington.
  
  
• Also felt, but MM not determined:
  Churton Park, Island Bay, Johnsonville, Lower Hutt, Lowry Bay, Miramar [2], Naenae, Ngaio, Paraparaumu Beach, Porirua, Tawa, Waikanae, Wellington [2].
  

Wellington experiences one or two earthquakes like this each year. The list, since 2000, is:

• Magnitude 4.6 on Tuesday, August 15 2000 at 2:02 am
• Magnitude 4.9 on Friday, November 2 2001 at 6:06 pm
• Magnitude 4.7 on Saturday, August 2 2003 at 2:35 am
• Magnitude 4.5 on Saturday, April 3 2004 at 12:09 am
• Magnitude 4.8 on Thursday, November 4 2004 at 9:39 pm
• Magnitude 5.5 on Friday, January 21 2005 at 7:56 am
• Magnitude 4.7 on Monday, April 11 2005 at 7:51 pm
• Magnitude 4.5 on Tuesday, December 13 2005 at 9:09 pm