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Story: Historic earthquakes

Extent of shaking, Murchison earthquake, 17 June 1929

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  • Level Five:

    Generally felt indoors and outside; most sleepers wakened and a few people alarmed; small objects displaced and broken; a few windows cracked.

  • Level Six:

    Felt by all; people and animals alarmed; difficulty in walking steadily; objects fall from shelves; unstable furniture tipped over; slight damage to some masonry buildings and weak chimneys damaged.

  • Level Seven:

    General alarm; difficulty standing; car drivers may stop; unreprced stone and brick walls cracked, and some buildings damaged; unrestrained water cylinders may move and burst; small rockfalls and landslides.

  • Level Eight:

    Alarm may approach panic; cars hard to steer; some buildings damaged, and weaker ones may collapse; small to moderate landslides; water generally disturbed.

  • Level Nine:

    Many buildings damaged and some collapse; unsecured houses move off foundations; brick veneers collapse; widespread cracking and landsliding.

IX VIII VII VI V WELLINGTON CHRISTCHURCH Murchison  

Roll over isoseismal lines for information

The Modified Mercalli scale (from 1 to 12) measures earthquakes by the intensity of shaking observed. Reports from historical records and diaries have been used to compile this map of the 1929 Murchison earthquake. Beginning with a measurement of 8 at the epicentre, the isoseismal lines spread outwards, recording the impact further afield. The earthquake was felt in most parts of New Zealand, with the most severe shaking at the northern end of the South Island. Seventeen people were killed by the earthquake.

Using this item

Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: G. L. Downes, Atlas of isoseismal maps of New Zealand earthquakes. Lower Hutt: Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, 1995.

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney, Historic earthquakes – The 1929 Arthur’s Pass and Murchison earthquakes, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/4509/extent-of-shaking-murchison-earthquake-17-june-1929 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Eileen McSaveney, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 November 2017.