1869 Christchurch earthquake

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2024}}

{{infobox earthquake

|title= 1869 Christchurch earthquake

|map2= {{Location map | New Zealand

|position=none

|lat =-44

|long =173

|width= 250

|float=center

|mark=Bullseye1.svg

|marksize=40

|caption=

|relief=yes

}}

|pre-1900 = yes

|local-date= {{start date text|5 June 1869}}

|local-time= 8:00 a.m.

|magnitude= 6.0 {{M|l|link=y}} 4.7 {{M|w|link=yes}}{{Cite web |publisher=GeoNet |title=Magnitude 4.7, Sat Jun 5 1869 8:00 AM |url=https://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/technical/2178064 |access-date=31 May 2024}}

|intensity= {{MMI|VII}} – {{MMI|VIII}}

|depth=

|engvar = en-UK

|location={{coord|-44|173|format=dms|display=inline,title|region:NZ}}{{cite journal|last=Pettinga|first=J.R.|author2=Yetton M.D.|author3=Van Dissen R.J.|author4=Downes G.|name-list-style=amp|year=2001|title=Earthquake source identification and characterisation for the Canterbury Region, South Island, New Zealand|journal=Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering|volume=34|issue=4|page=307|doi=10.5459/bnzsee.34.4.282-317 |url=http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/bitstream/10092/5122/1/12585501_pettinga%20jnzsee%202001.pdf|accessdate=5 November 2011}}

|countries affected=South Island New Zealand

|casualties=None

}}

The 1869 Christchurch earthquake occurred at 8:00 am on 5 June, near New Brighton, with an estimated Richter magnitude of 6.0. The shock had a Mercalli Intensity of VII–VIII.{{cite web|title=Canterbury has a shaky history|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/6479156/Canterbury-has-a-shaky-history|publisher=Fairfax NZ News|accessdate=25 February 2012}}

The shock damaged several brick and stone buildings in the city, destroying chimneys and damaging the spire of St John's church in Hereford Street.{{cite news|title=Severe Earthquake in Canterbury|url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DSC18690611.2.14 |accessdate=21 October 2011|newspaper=Daily Southern Cross|volume=XXV|issue=3712|date=11 June 1869|page=3}}{{cite web|title=GeoNet – M 7.1, Darfield (Canterbury), September 4, 2010 |url=http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/historic-earthquakes/top-nz/quake-13.html |publisher=GeoNet |accessdate=21 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302094331/http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/historic-earthquakes/top-nz/quake-13.html |archivedate=2 March 2011 }}

The effects of the earthquake on stone buildings such as St. Johns prompted the Church of St Michael and All Angels to be built using timber.{{cite news|title=St Michael's & All Angels |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TS18691215.2.6 |accessdate=21 October 2011|newspaper=The Star|date=15 December 1869|page=2}}