New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Climate and Science => National Earthquakes => Topic started by: JennyLeez on April 23, 2015, 12:45:01 PM
-
From the NZ Herald
A double shake for Wellington and the top of the South Island.
The first was magnitude 4.3 and it was followed by a 5.2.
Both quakes were 24 kilometres deep.
Radio NZ is reporting train services on the Wellington network have been suspended.
Wellington
Katrina Bennett reports Wellingtonians felt a light quake just after 10.30am.
"That was about 4.4, just located near Seddon.
"But then another followed not too long after that one and that one was quite strong. The building here did shake and swayed. A lot of people stopped their work and looked up because everyone here did feel it.
"That one there was a 5.2 magnitude earthquake, so that one was much stronger and again at the same location near Seddon."
Both were centred on Seddon in Marlborough.
The Fire Service's Southern Communications centre said a few minutes after the strong quake there were no reports of damage.
Kapiti and Hutt Valley
Callers from Levin and the Hutt Valley say they felt two earthquakes.
"We just had a lovely little shake," said one caller.
"We had two. We had one at 10.36am and one at 10.42am. One up in Upper Hutt and we felt it up the valley."
Seddon
Andy, who works at Tractor Repairs and Spares in Seddon, says the quake wasn't too severe.
"Just a short sharp jolt really, which we hadn't felt for some months, so we all sort-of looked at one another and said,' oh, here they come again.'
"Nah, just a short sharp jolt and it was all over."
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11437307 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11437307)
Many after shocks have followed.
-
and from Stuff.co.nz
More earthquakes are likely following two earthquakes which hit central New Zealand, a GNS scientist says.
Seismologist Dr John Ristau said it was likely there would be more quakes following Thursday's shakes, but it was impossible to say whether they would be stronger or weaker than the 5.1.
"You have to remember this whole area is seismically active to begin with," he said.
"It's likely there's be an aftershock around 4. There's also a chance there'll be something bigger.
"If you think back to July 2013 when those quakes started you first had one around 5, a little bit above 5, and then a couple weeks later was the first of those two 6.6 quakes."
"A large earthquake takes stress off one fault, but adds stress to other nearby faults.
Full report here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/67982199/more-quakes-likely-after-two-hit-seddon (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/67982199/more-quakes-likely-after-two-hit-seddon)