October 17, 1848 Earthquake: Cook Strait, New Zealand

Name: October 17, 1848 Earthquake: Cook Strait, New Zealand
Start: 1848-10-17
Location: Cook Strait, New Zealand

October 17, 1848 · M6

A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Cook Strait, New Zealand on October 17, 1848 at 04:10 UTC. It caused a tsunami.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date: October 17, 1848
Time: 04:10 UTC
Place: Cook Strait, New Zealand
Magnitude: 6 (Ms)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Country: New Zealand

The toll

Houses destroyed: Few (about 1 to 50)
Houses damaged: Few (about 1 to 50); Some (about 51 to 100) with its tsunami and other effects

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

1848, October 17, 16:10 [local time, Oct 17 04:10 UTC]. The largest aftershocks in the first week after the mainshock occurred on October 17 at 1540 Local Time, and on October 19 at 0503 Local Time and were at least magnitude 6. The mainshock occurred during particularly stormy weather with rain and strong winds. The wind abated on October 17 and resumed by October 19 with further gales. The magnitude is reported as being greater than or equal to 6 (Ms). (Reference #5324)

1848, October 17/18. On the 17th at 15:40, a new earthquake occurred which was more severe than the previous one, and in Wellington almost all brick buildings suffered damage. Even a newly constructed brick building of the hospital was so cracked that it soon had to be demolished. In the Te-Aro block several houses were completely destroyed. Magnitude of earthquake reported as 7 (Ms). (Reference #415)

Significant earthquakes of 1848 The 1800s This day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 10012.