January 2012 - Swarm of Aftershocks in Christchurch

Starting soon after midnight on the 2nd January 2012, Christchurch was shaken by approximately 50 aftershocks during the course of the day. The largest were recorded as magnitude 5.1 and 5.5. All the shocks were centred under the sea to the east of the city.

Locals had a restless night as the ground heaved beneath them, knocking out power to thousands of homes. This was restored by the morning but people were uneasy as the city continued to rock and roll throughout the day and into the night. Click here for more information on the aftershocks and how people reacted to them.