Which active faults threaten Christchurch?

The fault systems associated with Christchurch are named in the hub header and drawn on the map alongside recorded seismicity. Proximity alone does not rank hazard: rupture length, slip rate and the time elapsed since the last event all matter, so the page shows the traces and the observed activity rather than a single ranking.

Who is the emergency service for Christchurch?

The civil protection agency responsible for Christchurch, with its emergency number, is shown on this page. Call it for any life-threatening situation; for official damage reports and aftershock bulletins, follow the national seismological agency listed among our data sources.

Spectacular Southern Alps and glacial fjord landscape in New Zealand

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Back to Regions List NEW ZEALAND

Christchurch

The 2010-2011 sequence broke faults that had not been mapped before it began; the February 2011 aftershock was smaller than the mainshock but far shallower and closer, and liquefaction of the Avon River silts drove much of the damage.

Danger Level (72h)

72-hour composite hazard forecast

Recent Quakes (14d)

Recorded in the selected 14d period

Max Magnitude (14d)

Largest earthquake in the selected 14d period

Tectonic Profile

Seismotectonic hazard assessment, structural exposure & historical context

Associated Faults3

Click to locate on map

Regional PopulationLandScan

Living within 180 km of the city centre

Building VulnerabilityModerate

Mixed construction stock with regional engineering standards

Tectonic Setting

Transform / Strike-Slip

Critical Hazard

Major plate boundary with high strain accumulation

Seismically Stable Period

No significant earthquakes recorded in the selected 14d period.

PAGER GREEN

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Oct 22, 08:35:04 PM

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Seismic Activity

Every recorded earthquake in this area — filter by time range and sort by time or severity.

No earthquake activity data available for this period.

Emergency services

NEMA

111 Official site

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Verified scientific, operational, and emergency protocols

The event table on this page lists every earthquake recorded inside the felt radius of Christchurch, newest first, with its distance from the city centre and its magnitude. The top row is therefore the most recent event, and the list updates as soon as a reporting agency publishes a solution.