Earthquakes Registered in New Zealand

Abstract

DURING April 1943, eleven strong distant earthquakes were registered by the seismographs at Auckland, Arapuni, Christchurch, Kaimati, New Plymouth, Tuai and Wellington, New Zealand. The earthquake of April 6 registered at most of the New Zealand stations occurred at 16h. 07.1m. U.T. near latitude 32° S., longitude 70° W., according to the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. This is mid-way between Illapel and Mendoza in Chile. The earthquake also registered at College, St. Louis, Ottawa, Sitka, Georgetown and fourteen other stations sending records to Washington. The earthquake. of April 9 occurred at about 8h. 48.8m. TJ.T. from an epicentre as determined by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey near latitude 19° N., longitude 145° B., which is in the Pacific Ocean west of Agrigan Island, one of the Marianas Islands. In this case the depth of focus was near 100 km. Additionally, twenty-nine local earthquakes and earth tremors were recorded. Five of these shocks reached intensity V on the modified Mercalli scale. The first, on April 6, was felt in the Wairoa region ; the second, also on April 6, was felt near Hawkes Bay ; the third, on April 7, was also felt near Hawkes Bay ; the fourth, on April 15, was felt over the southern part of North Island, while the fifth, also on April 15, was felt at Manawatu and Wairarapa.