Aucklanders shaken, not stirred, as quake hits under volcano

Two earthquakes within minutes of each other have rattled Aucklanders and put cracks in some driveways, but experts say it’s nothing to worry about.

The first quake, registering just over three on the Richter scale, hit just after 4pm and was felt in parts of Auckland. A bigger 3.9 quake centred on Motutapu Island beside the volcano Rangitoto sent many scurrying into the streets.

Although the quakes were small, both were shallow, at less than 6km deep.

Auckland is believed to be far from major fault lines, but the city is built on a field of more than 40 volcanoes, the youngest of which – Rangitot0 – blew up only 700 years ago.