> From the WeatherWatch archives
Last night a 5.7 earthquake rocked the lower North Island and upper South Island and was centred 60 km deep east of Picton.
Many people felt it and described it as a rolling motion which lasted for up to 20 seconds.
Reports of books falling from shelves and swaying lampshades were common and it was also strong enough to see quite a number of local residents taking cover under doorframes.
One Christchurch resident who was in Wellington for the weekend couldn’t believe he was experiencing yet another shake and said it was similar to a decent aftershock in the Garden City.
Wellingtonians thought it was also a decent nudge and a couple of people crossing on the ferry last night also felt the roll of the tremblor.
It was the biggest earthquake in Marlborough for 45 years.
No reports of injuries or major damage had been reported.
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Before you add a new comment, take note this story was published on 3 Dec 2011.
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Guest on 4/12/2011 2:34am
It is amazing how this 5.7 quake has no response here when so widely felt, yet I remember the ‘hysteria’ around a 2.9 quake in Auckland and comments posted on that story on Weather Watch. I must assume the people of Wellington and Marlborough don’t require the attention that those in Auckland do or nobody in Central NZ visits this website.
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Guest on 4/12/2011 5:37am
Geez Wellington is on a FAULT line and they are use to having shakes and tremors… however, when you are not situated in such a region that is renowned for these types of ‘wake ups’ … and are surrounded by 50+ volcanoes.. you too would be making a big deal of it! Auckland has developed this reputation of being over reactive because of the rest of NZ! Furthermore, I would just like to say that Auckland is populated by a majority of people born OUTSIDE the region! Gives you something to think about regrading the rest of the country. Maybe NZ is full of over reacting panicking people who seem to migrate to Auckland!?
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Guest on 4/12/2011 7:02am
I don’t think Wellington gets quakes of 5.7 that often and “It was the biggest earthquake in Marlborough for 45 years.” Perhaps you are right and all the panicking people do live in Auckland now.
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