2016 Kaikōura earthquake
Demolition of a building on Molesworth Street, Wellington | |
| UTC time | 2016-11-13 11:02:56 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 615035032 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 14 November 2016 |
| Local time | 00:02:56 NZDT |
| Duration | ~ 2 minutes |
| Magnitude | 7.8 Mw |
| Depth | 15.1 km (9.4 mi) |
| Epicentre | 42°44′13″S 173°03′14″E / 42.737°S 173.054°E 15 km (9.3 mi) north-east of Culverden |
| Type | Oblique-slip |
| Areas affected | New Zealand |
| Total damage | US$1.62 billion (insurance loss) |
| Max. intensity | MMI IX (Violent) |
| Peak acceleration | 3.23 g |
| Tsunami | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Landslides | Yes |
| Aftershocks | > 20,200 (as of 22 November 2017) |
| Casualties | 2 dead 57 injured |
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The 2016 Kaikōura earthquake was a Mw 7.8 earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016 NZDT (11:02 on 13 November UTC). Ruptures occurred on multiple faults and the earthquake has been described as the "most complex earthquake ever studied". It has been subsequently modelled as having a megathrust component set off by an adjacent rupture on the Humps Fault. It was the second largest earthquake in New Zealand since European settlement.
The earthquake started at about 15 kilometres (9 mi) north-east of Culverden and 60 kilometres (37 mi) south-west of the tourist town of Kaikōura and at a depth of approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 miles). The complex sequence of ruptures lasted about two minutes. The cumulative magnitude of the ruptures was 7.8, with the largest amount of that energy released far to the north of the epicentre.
Over 45,000 insurance claims were received, resulting in a loss of NZ$2.27 billion (US$1.62 billion). There were two deaths, in Kaikōura and Mount Lyford.