2016 New Zealand Earthquake
Kaikōura, New Zealand — November 13, 2016
The 2016 Kaikōura earthquake was the most complex earthquake ever recorded in New Zealand, rupturing at least 21 separate fault segments simultaneously. The rupture caused dramatic coastal uplift raising sections of the seabed several meters and created massive landslides that buried the coastal highway.
Earthquake Facts
Magnitude
M7.8
Date
Nov 13, 2016
Depth
15.11 km
Deaths
2
Latitude
-42.737°
Longitude
173.054°
Tsunami
Yes
Region
New Zealand
Tectonic Cause
Multi-fault rupture across the Marlborough Fault System in the South Island, where the Pacific and Australian plates interact. The earthquake's complexity challenged existing models of how plate boundaries rupture.
Aftermath in Pictures
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — open licenses (CC / Public Domain)
Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under open licenses. Attribution required where specified. Click any image to enlarge.
Related Earthquakes in New Zealand
Sources & Further Reading
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