Kōrero: Engineering on the sea floor
There is a misconception that earthquakes happen mainly on land. In fact, the centre of many of New Zealand’s earthquakes is offshore, and structures that sit on the seabed need to be engineered to withstand intense shaking. This map shows the earthquakes that occurred between 1990 and 1994 off the New Zealand coast.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Source:GNS ScienceThis 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.
Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang
Keith Lewis, Engineering on the sea floor – A hostile seabed, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/map/6630/offshore-earthquakes-around-new-zealand (accessed 17 February 2026).
He kōrero nā Keith Lewis, i tāngia i te 2 March 2009.