1987 Edgecumbe Earthquake

From Freepedia

Just after 1.42 pm on 2 March 1987, an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale hit New Zealand's Bay of Plenty, centered on Edgecumbe. Because the earthquake was very shallow, at about 8 km from the earth's surface, it was felt over a large area. The earthquake was the most damaging New Zealand has experienced in recent decades, with approximately 50% of the houses in Edgecumbe being damaged by the quake. Whakatane and Kawerau were among other towns worst hit.

Luckily, only one person died at the time, as a result of a heart attack. A foreshock just minutes before had cut the power supply and many people had moved away from heavy machinery and out of their houses.

A crack 7 km long opened in the Rangitaiki Plains near Edgecumbe as a result of the earthquake. It is now known as the Edgecumbe Fault. At one point the land close to the fault dropped 2 m.

The largest aftershock was measured at 5.5 and struck at 1.52 pm.