What was the biggest tsunami in New Zealand?
What was the biggest tsunami in New Zealand?
1947 Gisborne event
The 1947 Gisborne event was one of the largest tsunamis recorded in New Zealand. Run-up heights of about 10 metres were recorded. Not only was this a colossal tsunami, it was a strange one. A locally generated tsunami near Gisborne on March 26, 1947, caused widespread damage along the coast.
Has there ever been a tsunami in Wellington?
1855 West Wairarapa The uplift from the earthquake on 23 January 1855 tilted the Wellington Region and with it Wellington Harbour. About 20 minutes after the earthquake a 3-4-metre high tsunami entered Wellington harbour through its narrow entrance and also across the Lyall Bay to Kilbirnie area.
What language did the word tsunami originate from?
The word tsunami (pronounced tsoo-nah’-mee) is composed of the Japanese words “tsu” (which means harbor) and “nami” (which means “wave”).
When was the most recent tsunami in New Zealand?
The magnitude 7.8 Kaikōura earthquake sequence on 14 November 2016 triggered tsunami along the east coast of New Zealand. In the early hours of the morning, hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes to higher ground in Kaikōura and from low-lying suburbs of cities such as Wellington and Christchurch.
When was the last major tsunami in NZ?
The largest tsunamis in New Zealand since 1855
| Date | Cause | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| 11/13/2016 | Earthquake in New Zealand (Off East Coast Of South Island) with a magnitude of 7.8. | 0 |
| 04/01/2014 | Earthquake in Chile (Northern Chile) with a magnitude of 8.2. | 0 |
| 07/06/2011 | Earthquake in New Zealand (Kermadec Islands) with a magnitude of 7.6. | 0 |
When did tsunami enter the English language?
1897
It is from Japanese 津波, where 波 [nami] is “wave” and 津 [tsu] here means “harbor”. It was apparently first used in English in 1897 by Lafcadio Hearn in his Gleanings from Buddha Fields.
What is the Japanese term for tsunami?
Tsunami is a Japanese word with the English translation, “harbor wave.” Represented by two characters, the top character, “tsu,” means harbor, while the bottom character, “nami,” means “wave.” In the past, tsunamis were sometimes referred to as “tidal waves” by the general public, and as “seismic sea waves” by the …
Is Wellington earthquake prone?
It is well documented that the Wellington region has potential earthquake risk, with a number of active faults identified in the area. In particular, how buildings perform during earthquakes.
What was the biggest tsunami in New Zealand in 1855?
Wairarapa earthquake tsunamis, 1855. On 23 January 1855, a magnitude 8.1–8.2 earthquake, the most powerful to strike New Zealand since European settlement, shook the lower North Island. It generated not one, but several types of tsunami. During the earthquake, the entire region west of the Wairarapa fault lurched abruptly north-east.
What was the intensity of the 1855 Wellington earthquake?
Intensity of the earthquake. The evening of 23 January 1855 was the end of a two-day holiday, the 15th anniversary of Wellington’s founding. Shortly after 9 p.m. a violent earthquake began; in Wellington the main shock lasted for at least 50 seconds.
What was the date of the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake?
The 1855 Wairarapa earthquake occurred on 23 January at about 9 p.m., affecting much of the Cook Strait area of New Zealand, including Marlborough in the South Island and Wellington and Wairarapa in the North Island. In Wellington, close to the epicenter, shaking lasted for at least 50 seconds.
What would happen if there was a tsunami in Wellington?
NIGHTMARE SCENARIO: A computer-generated image showing the potential impact of a 10-metre wave on downtown Wellington. A tsunami generated by an earthquake in Cook Strait could sweep kilometres inland within three or four minutes, putting the lives of up to 170,000 Wellington residents at risk.
