Two slow-motion earthquakes under North Island, New Zealand

Two slow-motion earthquakes under North Island, New Zealand

Two slow-motion earthquakes have been taking place so far in 2022 under the central and eastern North Island, New Zealand. These events are like earthquakes in slow motion, unfolding over weeks to months and cannot be felt by humans.

Slow-slip event in progress under the Kāpiti-Horowhenua area, New Zealand

Slow-slip event in progress under the Kāpiti-Horowhenua area, New Zealand

A slow-slip event began under the Kāpiti-Horowhenua area, New Zealand in mid-September 2021, and is expected to continue for several more months. The part of the subducting Pacific Plate 30 – 50 km (18 – 31 miles) beneath Kāpiti has started moving slowly again…

New slow-slip event detected near Gisborne, New Zealand

New slow-slip event detected near Gisborne, New Zealand

A slow-slip event started around June 14, 2021, near Gisborne, New Zealand and models suggest several cm of movement has occurred at the plate boundary so far. This is the second slow-slip event off the coast of North Island since the May 2021 event near Porangahau….

Slow-slip event detected off the coast of Gisborne, New Zealand

Slow-slip event detected off the coast of Gisborne, New Zealand

GNS scientists are monitoring a slow-slip event that started at the end of March 2019 near Gisborne, off the east coast of North Island, New Zealand. Slow-slip events are linked to an increase in localized earthquake activity. A similar sequence of earthquakes was…