The earthquake which struck the Fiordland region in the evening of Wednesday 15 July was the biggest since the Buller and Hawke's Bay earthquakes of 1929 and 1931.
| When | Wed Jul 15 2009 9:22 PM |
| Where | 90 km north-west of Tuatapere |
| Shaking | Extreme |
| Magnitude | 7.8 |
| Depth | 12 km |
| Quality | best |
| Extreme | 0 | |
| Severe | 0 | |
| Strong | 26 | |
| Moderate | 317 | |
| Light | 2191 | |
| Weak | 413 | |
| Total | 2947 |
| Extreme | 0 | |
| Severe | 0 | |
| Strong | 26 | |
| Moderate | 317 | |
| Light | 2191 | |
| Weak | 413 | |
| Total | 2947 |