Does NZ have earth quakes all the time?

Question

We might be moving there, and i am a little worried that there will be earth quakes all the time ..

someone said they happen every year!

If u live there plz tell me what its like!

are they big and scary?

plz answer

Answer 1

Several every day. Many small, a few, rarely, big.

Answer 2

Yes, some areas get them constantly. Wellington in particular gets dozens every year.

HOWEVER they are almost always practically undetectable. People who live there don't really worry about them and talk about them in much the same way as people talk about rain in the UK. They're a news item, not a disaster.

There is no need to practice your duck and cover or anything. Kids get told in general in school how to react and the Civil Defence service is well drilled in how to cope with a bigger quake. Buildings are usually designed to cope with moderate earthquakes (e.g. wooden frames that flex rather than shatter), and bigger ones actually have damping mechanisms built into their foundations.

The larger earthquakes of recent times (the Edgecumbe one in 1987 for example) caused quite a bit of damage but there were no casualties. Last year there was a moderate sized one on the east coast but the damage was really minimal.

They are unnerving but you shouldn't worry about it.

By the way, nobody is seriously waiting for The Big One. And if it does come, the Kiwis will take it in their stride.

Answer 3

Sure. So does Afghanistan, they are also on the edge of two tectonic plates pushing up a major mountain range, so they have a few every day, many hundreds every year, and a few bigs ones. But like New Zealand, most are small and undetectable,and cause little damage.

- The Gremlin Guy -

USA

Answer 4

If you're worried it will be like Los Angeles then rest your fears, it won't be. Earthquakes are extremely minor here and in many places you will almost never feel one. Even in places directly on the faultline you often won't feel the earthquake.

Answer 5

NZ is situated at the edges of tectonic plates and the ring of fire. That's why the north island is full of hot springs and geysers. They are waiting for the 'big one' and if you live there you need to practise for quick evacuation. But until then, there are frequent tremors. You will get used to them.

Answer 6

In geological time scales, yes. GNS Science records about 14,000 earthquakes in and around New Zealand each year. Most are small, but between 100 and 150 are big enough to be felt.

New Zealand's position on the boundary of the Australian and Pacific plates is the reason for the large number of earthquakes we witness. Underneath New Zealand these two huge plates are grinding together in three distinct ways.

To the east of the North Island the Pacific plate is being forced under the Australian plate. Under the South Island the two plates push past each other sideways, and to the south of New Zealand the Australian plate is being forced under the Pacific plate.

The second link provides a list of the latest thirty New Zealand earthquakes.