May 13, 1990 Earthquake: Dannevirke, Wellington, New Zealand
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Dannevirke, Wellington, New Zealand on May 13, 1990 at 04:23:09 UTC, 21 km below the surface.
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
- May 13, 1990
- Time
- 04:23:09 UTC
- Place
- Dannevirke, Wellington, New Zealand
- Magnitude
- 6.3 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 21 km (13 mi)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 40.296° S, 176.064° E
- Country
- New Zealand
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
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.
1990, May 13. Some damage (VIII) in the Donnevirke area. Felt at Wellington. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- February 2, 1931, Hawke Bay, New Zealand
- January 20, 2014, Wellington, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand
- March 5, 1934, North Island, New Zealand
- September 6, 2010, Porangahau, North Island, New Zealand
- August 8, 1904, E of North Island, New Zealand
- September 8, 1991, Wellington, Wanganui, New Zealand
- February 21, 1973, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
- October 5, 1980, Gisborne, Hawera, Eastbourne, Napier, New Zealand
- August 25, 2008, North Island, New Zealand
- July 5, 1845, N. New Zealand
- July 8, 1843, Wanganui, New Zealand
- February 13, 1931, Northern New Zealand
- February 19, 1931, Northern New Zealand
- January 20, 2005, North Island, New Zealand
- January 23, 1855, Wellington,waiouru,wanganui,otaki, New Zealand
More
Significant earthquakes of 1990The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1990Recent earthquakes near hereThis 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 5236.