Home / Environment / New Fault Line Puts Auckland at Risk
New Fault Line Puts Auckland at Risk
12 Jun
Summary
- A newly identified fault line south of Auckland is active.
- Research suggests the fault could trigger a magnitude 6.8 earthquake.
- Auckland was recently exempted from earthquake building rules.
New research indicates that a fault line approximately 50km southeast of Auckland is active, potentially capable of causing a magnitude 6.8 earthquake. This finding challenges the prevailing belief that Auckland is largely immune to significant seismic activity.
The Mangatangi Fault, located near Auckland's southern suburbs, has been radiocarbon dated to have ruptured within the last 10,000 years, deeming it active. This study marks the first such dating for a fault in this region.
Despite this new evidence, the government stated that a single study does not warrant an immediate change to Auckland's proposed exemption from earthquake-prone building rules, a decision made in 2025. Auckland's mayor, Wayne Brown, dismissed the research as "nonsense."
Geologists emphasize the importance of understanding Auckland's seismic history, drawing parallels to the devastating 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Further research is deemed crucial to ascertain the city's true seismic risk and ensure current building legislation is adequate.
