4.9 quake off Christchurch this morning

A shallow 4.9 magnitude earthquake rocked Christchurch again today. The tremblor was centred 10km east of Lyttelton, off the end of Godley Head, at a depth of only 6km. See the data here on Quake Crowe

With the anniversary of the first 7.1 September earthquake just two days away this was the largest quake to hit the city since June and struck whilst most people were asleep at 3.29 this morning. (Last year’s 7.1 quake hit at 4.35am on a Saturday)

An account in today’s New Zealand Herald said

GNS Science had reports it was felt as far north as Hanmer Springs and as south as far as Timaru.

One person in Bromley reported the quake as “damaging”, while another 14 told GNS Science it was “slightly damaging”.

The tremor, which rolled on for 10-15 seconds, was centred near Lyttelton, which was badly affected by the February 22 shake… more here

It was followed three hours later by a slightly larger and deeper 5.1 magnitude  earthquake in the Kermadec trench off the north east coast of the North Island.

5.1 quake kermadec trench

4.9 earthquake near Christchurch

The two quakes come close on the heels of a number of large quakes that have rocked New Zealand over the last 46 hours. Read our blog from yesterday – “Three Sizable South Island Quakes, Swarm At Matata, All Shallow” and Ken Ring’s predictions for increase in seismic activity around this time and his forecast of larger quakes towards the end of September.

This is the Geonet data for both of today’s earthquakes.

Understandably people were spooked by these quakes, these are some of the messages people around Christchurch were posting on the forum at Trademe this morning

“Hi. I was awake with sick children and there were two within about 20mins of each other. The one reported on quakecrow was the second one. I’m unsure why the first one was not recorded. We are located in south Christchurch so maybe it was the fault out this way.”

“We all leapt out of bed heading for doorways – scared the heck out of everyone. Very tired now, gonna be a long day, not happy.”

“I leapt out of bed and ran for the kids, just like Sept 4th. First time I’ve done that in the night since then. So I would’ve thought 5 at least as well. And stuff fell over here as well. But USGS only puts it at 4.5!”

“Stuff got knocked around here in heathcote…..mind you, i have to say ive got very little left to knock around!!!!!”

“Felt it big in kaiapoi,was centred boulder bay,so would of come straight down the beach to us,big i thought considering on sunday will be a year since the first .And we wonder why we drink lol.”

“Felt way bigger than a 5 here in North Beach,I would have thought it was a 6,was almost like a flashback to last Sept although not quite as bad. Really thought this is it”