Written by on . Last updated November 2nd, 2024.

In the early morning of Sunday October 6th, 2024, a significant Magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit in the Tasman Sea 30 kilometer from Wellington, New Zealand. Roughly 0.9 million people may have felt this earthquake.

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Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the Tasman Sea, right off the coast of New Zealand (8 mi offshore), 30 kilometer west of Wellington. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 44 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time: Oct 6, 2024 05:08 (Auckland Time)
- Oct 5, 2024 16:08 Universal Time.
Location: 30 km west of Wellington, New Zealand.
Coordinates 41°16'60"S 174°24'47"E.
Map: Map of area around epicenter.
Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude: MAG 5.1
Detected by 15 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.08 .
Depth: 44 km (28 mi)
A quite shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:
VI
Strong

On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk: Low tsunami risk
Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's.
Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 69% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 98% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.

Roughly 0.9 million people exposed to shaking

An estimated 0.9 million have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.

The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is V, which corresponds with moderate shaking and very light damage. Roughly 250,700 people are expected to be exposed to this level. The majority of people (roughly 350 thousand) live in an area exposed to level III, where weak shaking and probably no damage is expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of New Zealand .

People MMI Level Shaking Damage
380
I
Not noticable None
33,590
II
Very weak None
353,300
III
Weak Probably none
291,600
IV
Light Likely none
250,700
V
Moderate Very light
0
VI
Strong Light
0
VII
Very Strong Moderate
0
VIII
Severe Moderate to heavy
0
IX
Violent Heavy
0
X
Extreme Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in New Zealand . Karori in Wellington, New Zealand is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 27 kilometer (17 mi) west of Karori. The intensity of shaking and damage in Karori is estimated to be around level V on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (moderate shaking, very light damage).

Major cities near this earthquake: Wellington is located 30 km to the east and experienced an intensity of V (moderate shaking, very light damage). Lower Hutt is located 43 km to the east and experienced an intensity of V (moderate shaking, very light damage). Christchurch is located 290 km to the south-southwest (intensity unknown, possibly low).

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.

Overview of nearby places

Distance Place Intensity (MMI)
27 km (17 mi)
E from epicenter
Karori

Wellington, New Zealand.
V
Moderate
30 km (19 mi)
E from epicenter
Wellington

Wellington, New Zealand.
V
Moderate
40 km (25 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Porirua

Wellington, New Zealand.
IV
Light
43 km (27 mi)
E from epicenter
Lower Hutt

Wellington, New Zealand.
V
Moderate
45 km (28 mi)
E from epicenter
Wainuiomata

Wellington, New Zealand.
V
Moderate
46 km (29 mi)
SW from epicenter
Blenheim

Marlborough, New Zealand.
IV
Light
56 km (35 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Upper Hutt

Wellington, New Zealand.
IV
Light
65 km (40 mi)
NE from epicenter
Paraparaumu

Wellington, New Zealand.
IV
Light
94 km (58 mi)
W from epicenter
Nelson

Nelson, New Zealand.
III
Weak
99 km (62 mi)
W from epicenter
Stoke

Nelson, New Zealand.
III
Weak
102 km (63 mi)
NE from epicenter
Levin

Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand.
IV
Light
110 km (68 mi)
ENE from epicenter
Masterton

Wellington, New Zealand.
III
Weak
139 km (86 mi)
NE from epicenter
Linton Military Camp

Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand.
III
Weak
144 km (89 mi)
NE from epicenter
Palmerston North

Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand.
III
Weak
159 km (99 mi)
NNE from epicenter
Whanganui

Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand.
III
Weak
248 km (154 mi)
N from epicenter
New Plymouth

Taranaki, New Zealand.
270 km (168 mi)
SSW from epicenter
Rangiora

Canterbury, New Zealand.
276 km (171 mi)
NE from epicenter
Hastings

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
284 km (176 mi)
NE from epicenter
Taradale

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
290 km (180 mi)
SSW from epicenter
Christchurch

Canterbury, New Zealand.
291 km (181 mi)
NE from epicenter
Napier

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is V.

I Not felt
II Weak
III Weak
IV Light
V Moderate
VI Strong
VII Very Strong
VIII Severe
IX Violent
X Extreme
Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 61 people

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 61 people have reported shaking in 26 places, all within New Zealand.We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand: 10 people.
  • Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand: 7 people.
  • Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand: 5 people.
  • Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand: 5 people.
  • Picton, Marlborough, New Zealand: 4 people.
  • Riwaka, Tasman, New Zealand: 3 people.
  • Kapiti, Wellington, New Zealand: 3 people.
  • Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand: 2 people.
  • Wanganui, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand: 2 people.
  • Nelson, Nelson, New Zealand: 2 people.

2 Aftershocks detected

After this earthquake struck, 2 smaller aftershocks occurred. At a distance of 1 km (0.6 mi) north-east of this earthquake, an aftershock struck 1 day later. It measured a magnitude of 3.8

Before this earthquake struck, 1 smaller foreshock occurred. A 3.1 magnitude earthquake hit 2 days earlier nearby.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Classification Magnitude When Where
Foreshock M 3.1 2 days earlier
Oct 4, 2024 08:51 (Auckland Time)
99 km (61 mi)
NNW from Main Shock.
Main Shock
This Earthquake
M 5.1 Oct 6, 2024 05:08
(Auckland Time)
-
Aftershock M 3.5 1 day later
Oct 7, 2024 13:22 (Auckland Time)
65 km (40 mi)
NNE from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 3.8 1 day later
Oct 7, 2024 14:23 (Auckland Time)
1 km (0.6 mi)
NE from Main Shock.
Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.

More earthquakes coming?

The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since April 25th, 2023, when a 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit 212 km (132 mi) further east-northeast. An even stronger magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on November 13th, 2016.

In total, 50 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.1 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 2 months.

Low tsunami risk

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor Under Sea? MAG-6.5 or stronger? Shallow depth?
Explanation Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami.
MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes.
MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea. Not this earthquake.
This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 44 km (28 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 02/11/24 00:58 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.

  1. US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000nwqg
  2. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20241005_0000134
  3. Geonames.org: World Cities Database
  4. Google Maps: Static API
  5. Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database

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