2016 Te Araroa earthquake

2016 Te Araroa earthquake

UTC time	2016-09-01 16:37:57
ISC event	611830479
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	2 September 2016
Local time	4:37:55 am NZST
Magnitude	7.1 Mw
Depth	22 km (14 mi)
Epicentre	36.98°S 179.52°E / -36.98; 179.52[1]
Type	Oblique-slip[2]
Areas affected	New Zealand
Max. intensity	MMI VI (Strong)[1]
Tsunami	30 cm at East Cape and Great Barrier Island

The 2016 Te Araroa earthquake was an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the moment magnitude scale that occurred at 04:37:55 NZST on 2 September 2016 (16:37:55 UTC 1 September).^[3] The epicentre was located 125 km (78 mi) north-east of Te Araroa off the East Cape of the North Island of New Zealand with a focal depth of 22 km (14 mi). The earthquake was widely felt throughout the North Island and in the upper South Island. There were no reported casualties, and buildings predominantly suffered only a little bit of damage.

Earthquake

USGS ShakeMap^[1]

Foreshock

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake was recorded at 10:04:35 NZST on 1 September 2016, one day prior to the main earthquake.

Date	Local time (NZST)	Magnitude	Hypocenter depth	Epicentre
				Location	Latitude	Longitude
1 September 2016	10:04:35[4]	5.7	26 km (16 mi)	100 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.06	179.21

Aftershocks

A series of aftershocks followed the earthquake, the largest being a magnitude 6.2 earthquake which occurred at 05:15:05 NZST on 2 September. Dozens of smaller aftershocks were also recorded, with 18 measuring magnitude 5.0 or greater as of 4 November 2016. GeoNet forecast the probability of one or more additional aftershocks measuring between 6.0 and 6.9 as 32% for the month to 12 October while the probability of an earthquake greater than or equal to 7.0 was 4% for the same period.^[5]

Aftershocks of magnitude ≥ 5.0

Date	Local time (NZST)	Magnitude	Hypocenter depth	Epicentre
				Location	Latitude	Longitude
2 September 2016	04:37:55[6]	7.1	22 km (14 mi)	125 km north-east of Te Araroa	-36.98	179.52
2 September 2016	04:48:05[7]	5.2	17 km (11 mi)	85 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.00	178.93
2 September 2016	05:01:09[8]	5.7	19 km (12 mi)	95 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.00	179.14
2 September 2016	05:14:05[9]	6.2	20 km (12 mi)	110 km north-east of Te Araroa	−36.91	179.21
2 September 2016	05:34:27[10]	5.1	26 km (16 mi)	95 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.13	179.23
2 September 2016	05:36:03[11]	5.7	58 km (36 mi)	90 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.09	179.15
2 September 2016	07:18:28[12]	5.8	18 km (11 mi)	90 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.05	179.10
2 September 2016	08:06:03[13]	6.0	18 km (11 mi)	125 km east of Te Araroa	−37.14	179.66
3 September 2016	16:30:10[14]	5.5	12 km (7.5 mi)	70 km east of Te Araroa	−37.36	179.11
3 September 2016	16:58:36[15]	5.2	114 km (71 mi)	70 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.26	178.99
4 September 2016	01:30:26[16]	5.5	18 km (11 mi)	65 km east of Te Araroa	−37.39	179.02
4 September 2016	18:19:42[17]	5.0	32 km (20 mi)	95 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.12	179.25
5 September 2016	08:00:28[18]	5.1	17 km (11 mi)	55 km east of Te Araroa	−37.41	178.96
6 September 2016	03:19:01[19]	5.7	21 km (13 mi)	95 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.00	179.06
6 September 2016	05:01:58[20]	5.3	19 km (12 mi)	95 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.00	179.08
15 September 2016	04:09:29[21]	5.0	20 km (12 mi)	80 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.13	179.04
23 September 2016	17:56:27[22]	5.1	22 km (14 mi)	65 km east of Te Araroa	−37.42	179.06
9 October 2016	08:41:16[23]	5.8	7 km (4.3 mi)	75 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.08	178.89
4 November 2016	07:45:47[24]	5.0	95 km (59 mi)	260 km north-east of Te Araroa	−35.98	−179.58
14 November 2016	04:42:45[25]	5.1	10 km (6.2 mi)	120 km north-east of Te Araroa	−36.83	179.25
27 November 2016	13:18:39[26]	5.1	61 km (38 mi)	105 km north-east of Te Araroa	−37.08	179.31

Aftermath

Following the earthquake, the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM) issued a tsunami warning for parts of the north and east coasts of the North Island. Waves measuring 30 cm in height were recorded by tide gauges at East Cape and Great Barrier Island, and although the warning was later cancelled advisories remained in place for strong currents and abnormal sea level fluctuations.^[27]

Power outages temporarily affected 300 homes near Rototahi and Waimata north of Gisborne while KiwiRail issued a precautionary shutdown notice for part of the rail network in Auckland.^[27]

While no injuries or significant damage occurred, a spokesperson for the Earthquake Commission said they had received 48 claims for damage compensation by 4:30 pm local time on the day of the earthquake.^[28] Damage was localised to coastal towns near the epicentre of the earthquake, including in Te Puia Springs where Puketiti Homestead and Stable, a Category 1 historic building, suffered damage to a chimney and fireplace.^[29]

See also

• List of earthquakes in 2016
• List of earthquakes in New Zealand

References

1. "M7.1 – 166 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand: ShakeMap". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
2. "M7.1 – 166 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
3. "Magnitude 7.1, Fri, Sep 2 2016, 4:37:55 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
4. "Magnitude 5.7, Thu, Sep 1 2016, 10:04:35 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
5. "M7.1 East Cape Earthquake: what we think will happen next". GeoNet. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
6. "Magnitude 7.1, Fri, Sep 2 2016, 4:37:55 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
7. "Magnitude 5.2, Fri, Sep 2 2016, 4:48:05 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
8. "Magnitude 5.7, Fri, Sep 2 2016, 5:01:09 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
9. "Magnitude 6.2, Fri, Sep 2 2016, 5:14:05 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
10. "Magnitude 5.1, Fri, Sep 2 2016, 5:34:27 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
11. "Magnitude 5.7, Fri, Sep 2 2016, 5:36:03 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
12. "Magnitude 5.8, Fri, Sep 2 2016, 7:18:28 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
13. "Magnitude 6.0, Fri, Sep 2 2016, 8:06:03 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
14. "Magnitude 5.5, Sat, Sep 3 2016, 4:30:10 pm (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
15. "Magnitude 5.2, Sat, Sep 3 2016, 4:58:36 pm (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
16. "Magnitude 5.5, Sun, Sep 4 2016, 1:30:26 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
17. "Magnitude 5.0, Sun, Sep 4 2016, 6:19:42 pm (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
18. "Magnitude 5.1, Mon, Sep 5 2016, 8:00:28 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
19. "Magnitude 5.7, Tue, Sep 6 2016, 3:19:01 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
20. "Magnitude 5.3, Tue, Sep 6 2016, 5:01:58 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
21. "Magnitude 5.0, Thu, Sep 15 2016, 4:09:29 am (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
22. "Magnitude 5.1, Fri, Sep 23 2016, 5:56:27 pm (NZST)". GeoNet. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
23. "Magnitude 5.8, Sun, Oct 9 2016, 8:41:16 am (NZDT)". GeoNet. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
24. "Magnitude 5.0, Fri, Nov 4 2016, 7:45:47 am (NZDT)". GeoNet. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
25. "Magnitude 5.1, Mon, Nov 14 2016, 4:42:45 am (NZDT)". GeoNet. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
26. "Magnitude 5.1, Sun, Nov 27 2016, 1:18:39 pm (NZDT)". GeoNet. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
27. "East Cape shake increases risk of big quakes, tsunami threats". Radio New Zealand. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
28. "Aftershocks continue to rattle East Cape". Radio New Zealand. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
29. "Quake damages historic homestead". New Zealand: Stuff. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.

External links

• The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.