New Zealand and the neighboring Kermadec Islands withstand a series of earthquakes, all towering above 7.0 on the Richter scale.

From March 4 to March 5, the North Island of New Zealand, the Kermadec Islands, and other Pacific Islands experienced a series of three earthquakes and resulting aftershocks. The largest, an 8.1 magnitude earthquake near the Kermadec Trench, caused large, tsunami-like waves, endangering any coastal towns within its general vicinity.

Immediately after the last of the three earthquakes, the New Zealand National Emergency Management Agency (NZNEMA) urged residents on the North Island of New Zealand to seek higher ground. Many citizens received an alert on their phones, saying “There is a LAND and MARINE TSUNAMI THREAT.”

Authorities also urged people in high-risk areas to move inland and away from their homes.
This alert caused thousands of people to abandon their homes and drive inwards, leading to “bumper-to-bumper traffic.”

On Friday afternoon, however, NZNEMA downgraded the tsunami threat into a “beach and marine threat,” meaning that people could return to their homes without any fear but should still avoid any coastal areas.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) fortunately rated the series of quakes “green on fatalities and economic losses.” This assessment signifies that no one died and minimal economic damage occurred. Still, these quakes are a shocking reminder of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake that led to the death of 185 people.

The Christchurch Aftershock, a result of the smaller Darfield Earthquake of 2010, caused significant damage to the New Zealand city of Christchurch, specifically focused on the city’s Central Business District. With New Zealand commemorating the catastrophe’s 10th anniversary on February 22, the Kermadec Island Earthquakes serve as a remembrance of the disastrous aftermath of that day.

The Kermadec Earthquakes also have larger implications for New Zealand as a whole. The largest tremor in the series reached a whopping magnitude of 8.1, the largest earthquakes recorded since August of 2018. The earthquake was reportedly felt in the island nation of American Samoa and even as far as Hawaii. Both issued tsunami warnings immediately after tremors were felt.

Thankfully, this earthquake caused no casualties. But, the incident reminds us of the potential for natural disasters to cause catastrophic destruction.