Jun 8 2009 - May roundup

Last month's progress and news within the GeoNet project.

Operations
Equipment is lowered into the Green Lake area of Raoul Island.

Equipment is lowered into the Green Lake area of Raoul Island.

  • The Raoul Island installation trip was completed with all sites now fully operational. The sites included:
  1. tsunami gauges at Boat Cove (RBCT) and at Fishing Rock (RFRT);
  2. a broadband seismic station (Raoul Island RIZ), a continuous GPS station (Raoul Island RAUL) and satellite telemetry at the meteorological station;
  3. 2 temperature sensors, a water level sensor and a broadband seismic station at Green Lake (GLKZ);
  4. a camera on Mount Moumoukai which monitors the Green Lake crater area.
  • Following the Raoul Island installations, the GeoNet public website has been updated with 30 minute photos of the crater area, seismic activity refreshed every 5 minutes, and plots of the two tsunami gauge wave heights.
  • The Tolley Road (TLZ) National Seismograph Network station was completed. It is located south of Te Awamutu near the locality of Ngaroma.

Earthquakes

  • The most significant earthquake of the month occurred on May 27, magnitude 4.3, 30 km south-west of Twizel, 5 km deep. It was felt in the Mackenzie basin.
  • The preliminary locations of April's earthquakes are shown below.

Reported Landslides

Monday May 11

  • Several rock falls were reported on SH 2, the Rimutaka Hill, reducing traffic to one lane in places.

Tuesday May 12

  • A slip partially blocked SH 3, Awakino Road, east of the Mokau tunnel in Taranaki. The road remained open for one lane during clearance of the slip.

Sunday May 17

  • Several small slips affected SH 2 on the Upper Hutt side of the Rimutaka Hill, but it remained open.
  • SH 6 Haast to Hawea was closed due to a slip at The Neck.
  • SH 8 Omarama to Tarras was closed by a slip at Lindis Pass.

Friday May 22

  • A landslide was affecting houses on the coastal cliff at Whitewash Head Road, Scarborough, Christchurch, and stabilisation was carried out. Another slip blocked the road there on Saturday May 23.

Sunday May 24

  • SH 2, the Rimutaka Hill, was blocked by a slip on the Wairarapa side from about midday to 1:30 pm.
Felt earthquakes of April 2009.

Felt earthquakes of
April 2009.

Shallow earthquakes of April 2009.

Shallow earthquakes of
April 2009.

Deep earthquakes of April 2009.

Deep earthquakes of
April 2009.