National Advisory: Tsunami activity. We expect New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore following a M6.8 earthquake off the West Coast of the South Island at 2025-03-25 2:43 PM. Please see NEMA (The National Emergency Management Agency) for official tsunami warning information.
The city of Christchurch experienced a major earthquake centred south of the city; severe damage and casualties occurred.
| When | Tue Feb 22 2011 12:51 PM |
| Where | 5 km south-east of Christchurch |
| Shaking | Extreme |
| Magnitude | 6.2 |
| Depth | 5 km |
| Quality | best |
One of the best things New Zealanders can do is make a plan, and have a grab bag ready to go in case of emergencies. Ensure everyone in your family knows what the plan is, where to meet and how to stay connected with whānau when our lives are disrupted by natural hazard events.
There's a lot you can do to make your home safer and stronger for natural hazards. Every step you take will reduce the impact of a disaster on you and your family, so get started today.