New Zealand earthquake: 6.1 quake jolts NZ, epicenter in northwest Paraparaumu

We're closing our LIVE updates for the 6.1 magnitude earthquake that struck New Zealand on Wednesday. For more information, track our website. 

The agency of the Australian Government, Geoscience Australia, has released a map showing the epicenter of New Zealand's 6.1 magnitude earthquake that was felt widely across the North Island and Marlborough region. As many as 61 thousand reports of feeling the jolts were registered by New Zealanders with different agencies. 

A second 4.0 magnitude earthquake at a depth of 78km was recorded, nearly 20 minutes after the first leading to shaking that was reported as felt by nearly 4000 residents. The second earthquake was detected on the seismic data of GeoNet within an hour of the first. After Cyclone Gabrielle ravaged New Zealand, multiple earthquakes of varying magnitudes—1.5 and 5.0—have been reported each day since the last week. Jolt from the first earthquake was felt near the New Zealand's capital city of Wellington on Wednesday evening.

Wednesday's earthquake in New Zealand was generated from  depth of 48km, said GeoNet, adding that this is why it was felt “more widely and strongly." 

While there is no tsunami expected, but New Zealand residents are being warned to drop to the ground, take cover and protect their heads and necks as the aftershocks may be expected. 6.1 magnitude earthquake “caused a long and strong shake felt widely across the North Island and Marlborough region," said GeoNet. Several agencies have reported that the quake is recorded within the most “extreme” category.

“It’s a difficult time for the (North) Island,” the agency added.

A resident in New Zealand has taken to their Twitter handle to share visuals of the 6.1 earthquake that struck on Wednesday and had its epicenter in Cook Strait. New Zealand’s capital Wellington was apparently "swayed" and the residents are sharing stories of sudden jolts and buildings shaking. 

Earthquake in New Zealand shook the North and South Islands in New Zealand as strong winds and heavy rains from ex-Cyclone Gabrielle battered the residents overnight. New Zealanders are left devastated by landslides after the powerful cyclone.

Several homes are now collapsed and buried in mud, and some people are still reported trapped on rooftops as the rescue was made challenging due to cracked roads, fallen trees, and no electricity. Wednesday's earthquake has no casualties reported yet. A National Emergency was activated for only the third time since the 2019 Christchurch attacks and the Covid-19 pandemic. 

(Images Credit: AP)

New Zealand MP, Angelo von Möller, on Wednesday expressed concern about the safety of the New Zealanders as the 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck just weeks after the country was hit by deadly floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. The cyclone caused landslides and ocean swells, destroying scores of homes and infrastructure in the north of New Zealand. Rising water levels forced evacuations, and people are still stranded on rooftops and roads.  A state of emergency was declared on Tuesday in seven regions: Northland, Auckland, Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group areas, and the Tararua District.

Von Möller on Twitter said that he was informed about the Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake in New Zealand. "My heart goes out to all of New Zealand with their ongoing dual crisis of the floods and now this earthquake," he said. 

New Zealanders have taken to social media to relay their harrowing experience as a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the country on Wednesday. Some residents took to their Twitter handle to say that the quake was the "loudest, strongest, scariest" that they felt in several years. "That was genuinely the loudest, strongest, scariest, and longest earthquake I’ve ever experienced. Never ever liked earthquakes, but I’m so grateful there’s no big damage, and we’re safe. What was scariest was how loud it was," one wrote. Many explained that the earthquake was an experience more of "rolling" than "jolting." 

"A big initial bang like shake, like a bomb going off, followed by some rolling," one other said. 

Tremors from the 6.1 earthquake were felt on both the North and South Islands and comes just days after New Zealand declared a National State of Emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle.

The 6.1 earthquake comes after a “moderate” 4.4 magnitude earthquake hit Gisborne during the onslaught of Cyclone Gabrielle on Monday night. Two days ago, another earthquake struck 25km west of Gisborne at 7.45 pm and at a depth of 25km. At least 1154 people had reported feeling the quake at the time, which was also felt as far as Taupō. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) listed the quake at magnitude 4.4, and another earthquake monitoring agency the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake, stated that there was no significant damage, but shaking was felt by many people as "light vibrations" in the area of the epicenter.

Jolts were felt in Patutahi (pop. 390) located 15 km from the epicenter, Gisborne (pop. 34,300) 25 km away, Tiniroto (pop. 1,500) 26 km away, and Wainui (pop. 1,700) 31 km away. More than 11,000 people felt the quake as it mildly shook Te Aroha. The earthquake had hit just days after the deadly 7.8 magnitudes and 7.4 magnitude earthquakes with a series of aftershocks wreaked heavy destruction in Turkey and neighbouring Syria. 

A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake occurred 50 km north-west of Paraparaumu, New Zealand on Wednesday Feb 15, 2023, at about 7:38 PM (NZDT).  The epicenter was located at a moderately shallow depth of 57.4 km. The earthquake struck at 7.38 pm at a depth of 76km. Just 15 minutes later, an estimated 31000 people reported that they felt the earthquake, according to New Zealand's Earthquake Commission and Geological Survey (GeoNet). 

New Zealand Civil Defense, in a Facebook post, confirmed that a magnitude of 6.0 occurred within the country that was 57 km deep. The earthquake was centered 50 km northwest of Paraparaumu and was "widely felt" mainly in the North Island, the New Zealand Civil Defense noted. 

"It is already a really stressful time for people -look after yourself and the people around you. If you need extra support you can contact 1737 by phone or text to talk with a trained counselor," stressed the NCD. 

The agency issues an advisory for the New Zealanders, saying "remember, drop, cover and hold is the right action to take in an earthquake."

Map of origin of the earthquake with the epicenter. Credit: GeoNet

The seismic data released by European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).

Seismic data by European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) depicted the earthquake approximately 78 km NW of Lower Hutt, New Zealand. 

National Emergency Management Agency has advised there is no tsunami threat, the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office shared on Facebook.

An estimated 60,000 people in both the North and South Islands in New Zealand are reporting that they felt the earthquake that was centered 50 km northwest of Paraparaumu. The tremours were felt in Auckland and Christchurch. A resident of Garden City described the earthquake to the local press as a rolling sensation as opposed to “jolty”.

Tens of thousands of New Zealanders, who reported on Wednesday that they were shaken by a 6.1 magnitude earthquake centered near Wellington described it as “massive” and “scary”.