A shallow M3.9 earthquake near Te Aroha woke thousands of people throughout the Coromandel Peninsula just before 7am on December 29.
The earthquake, which was only 7km deep, was felt as far away as Whitianga, Whangamata, and also throughout Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Auckland.
GeoNet said the earthquake caused moderate shaking at 6:56am, causing a “shaky wake up” for more than 5000 people who recorded “felt reports” on GeoNet’s website.
“This is a region of low seismic activity in New Zealand – only four earthquakes larger than M3 have occurred between Tauranga and Hamilton in the last 10 years. This was the largest since 2014,” GeoNet said.
“Earthquakes can happen anywhere in New Zealand and this is a good reminder to be prepared. Make sure you have a plan – particularly if you’re away from home or near the beach for a holiday.
“Getready.govt.nz has a great guide to getting summer ready.”
For more details on this earthquake see https://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/2022p977695.
