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Story: Earthquakes

Wairarapa Fault scarp, Pigeon Bush

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Wairarapa Fault scarp, Pigeon Bush

The steep scarp marks the Wairarapa Fault, which has ruptured several times during earthquakes in the last 5,000 years. The last recorded earthquake, in 1855, caused the channel of a stream to be offset by 18.7 metres – the largest single horizontal offset during an earthquake recorded anywhere in the world. An older offset channel to the left, which moved during an earlier earthquake, is indicated in the photograph.

Using this item

Victoria University of Wellington, Rodney Grapes

by Timothy Little

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney, Earthquakes – What causes earthquakes?, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/4400/wairarapa-fault-scarp-pigeon-bush (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Eileen McSaveney, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 August 2017.

Comments

jayedeesalinas
11 June 2015
what is p=wave-these are called 'p' for primary wave they are the ones that travel fastest and there by are usually "felt" first.