About Earthquakes
Aotearoa, New Zealand is one of the most geologically active countries in the world due to its location on the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire,’ a large tectonic plate boundary which encircles the Pacific Ocean. This means New Zealand is frequently exposed to earthquakes. On average, over 20,000 earthquakes occur each year in and around New Zealand with approximately 100 to 150 of these earthquakes large enough to be felt.
There are several faults that the Bay of Plenty region lies upon, including the Whakatāne, Waiohau, Edgecumbe, Waimana, and Paeroa faults. The northern end of the Taupō Volcanic Zone fault system also runs through part of the region near Rotorua, meaning the Bay is exposed to both small frequent earthquakes and larger, less frequent earthquakes that have the potential to cause more widespread damaging impacts.
Don’t forget the saying ‘Long or Strong, Get Gone!
Are you prepared for an earthquake?
Know the right action to take during an earthquake: Drop, Cover and Hold.
Practice Drop, Cover, Hold and sign up for ShakeOut, Aotearoa’s national earthquake and tsunami hikoi (evacuation walk) drill.
Quake-safe your whare (home): There are some simple things you can do to make your home safer, such as securing tall and heavy items to the floor and walls or placing a non-slip mat beneath smaller household appliances. Click here to view tips from the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake (formerly, EQC) to quake-safe your home.
Immediately Drop, Cover, Hold: Drop down on your hands and knees, cover your head and neck (or your entire body if possible) under a sturdy table or desk if there is one close by, and hold on until the shaking stops. If there is no shelter near you, crawl to an inside corner of the room and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms.
The best version of Drop, Cover, Hold is the one that works for your body and that you have practiced, visit the Get Ready website to find out other ways you can protect yourself during an earthquake.
If you are outside: Move away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and power lines, then Drop, Cover and Hold. Stay there until the shaking stops.
If you are driving: Pull over to a safe spot, stop and stay there with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops.
If an earthquake feels Long or Strong, Get Gone: If you feel a strong earthquake that makes it hard to stand up, or an earthquake that lasts a minute or more, move immediately to the nearest high ground or inland as far you can, out of tsunami evacuation zones. Do not wait for official warnings.
Stay alert and expect aftershocks: Aftershocks are likely to occur after an initial earthquake. Each time you feel one, drop, cover, and hold if you can. Remember, if an earthquake feels long or strong, get gone.
Check for injuries: Look after yourself and those around you if you can. Get first aid supplies if necessary and seek medical attention for serious injuries.
Inspect for hazards and check for damage: After an earthquake, there may be fallen power lines, damaged gas lines, fires, broken glass, broken wires and electrical systems, and landslides. Act with caution and take care when moving around.
Keep phone lines clear if you can: In an emergency, it is likely that lots of people will be trying to call 111 if they are dealing with a serious situation. Do not overload phone lines with non-emergency calls. If you need to check in with whānau or friends or share non-urgent information, you can send a text instead to keep phone lines clear for emergency calls.
If you have felt an earthquake, you might like to submit a ‘felt report’ to GeoNet or monitor how many other people have felt the shaking.
