Menu
Earthquake damage Otira Gorge 1994
Expand/collapse
About this image
DescriptionThe magnitude 6.7 Arthurs Pass earthquake of 18th June 1994 was the largest shock to occur in the Southern Lakes for 65 years. It triggered a landslide in the Otira Gorge, blocking the highway and damming the Otira River.PhotographerP SimpsonDate of Photo18 June 1994Map[1] ContributorMaye Dunn
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)Otira GorgeEventEarthquake 1994
Category Information
Category TagRoadsearthquake
From Facebook
Date Created2019-03-06CommentsKay Palmer Remember that shake well. Living in Greymouth. Heard it before we felt it!
Annette Martin Was very pregy with warren shook the house lost a lot shock for ages many after shocks
Kay Palmer Annette Martin Many big after shocks. All night long!
Maye Dunn We were living just out of Timaru and had just come through the Gorge about an hour before heading to Greymouth for a 40th birthday party. Had to go home via the Lewis.....took forever.
Ken Meadowcroft "Yep" shaky Isle's. Ha,ha,ha.
Tess Lenihan I was living in Oxford and the Aussies next door couldn't work out why the fridge was walking towards them haha
Louise Lockie Chalice Penman
Anthea Keenan Blimmin eqs, fire & floods.... not good.
Merv Fleming Shelley Evans
Shiree Couch Remember that living in Christchurch at the time.
Mick Bernadette O'Donnell We were on the zig zag coming back to Greymouth stuck up there for about 4 hours,had to go back to Ch -Ch and go home the next day via Lewis Pass
Yvonne Jean remember this my daughter Keri and I were out in the car but came home to a big crack in the ceiling
Greg Taylor Raewyn Taylor i remember that one
Linda Crisp I remember standing under the door frame in that one.
Lynda Hine I remember that. Mum panicked more than me.
Michelle Watt
I was living in Westport when this happened, the house shook for over a minute
Pete Lusk
Skilful digger operator
Andrew Mckenzie
I think this is where the new rock shelter is
John Coll
“Southern Lakes”?
Maye Dunn
John Coll yes Te Anau
Mike Rodgers
The earthquake that did this damage was the 18 June 1994 Arthur's Pass 6.7 earthquake (4 km deep) at 43.00°S, 171.47°E. There was a 6.7 earthquake (73 km deep) in Te Anau on June 4 1988, but I consider that one unlikely to have caused this damage six y… See more
Mick Bernadette O'Donnell
Can remember it well, as we were on the pass at the time. Very scary
Kyle Webster
I was staffing on a ward at Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Spring and the whole building rolled. Went outside afterwards to check for cracks (faultline ran through the hospital)Brent David
Is that when the top fell off Mt Cook?
Roger O'Regan
Brent David
I think so, but not really certain.
Liz Hay
Brent David no. The top falling off Mt Cook came some years later. It wasn't caused by an earthquake.
Reply17h
Lindsay Dowling
i was standing outside the Pioneer hotel and watching the new Hokitika bridge swaying pretty good and the poor bugger driving accross it stopped dead and didnt move for some time
Lobesy Lobesy
Lindsay Dowling pub must have been closed for you to be standing outside mate.
Lindsay Dowling
Lobesy Lobesy just finished rugby about to go in
Hayden Gibb
Lindsay Dowling was playing for the coast in Sheffield, had to stay the night and come home the Lewis.
Sue Buchanan Brownlee
Remember it well
Brent Whyte
I was on a motorbike at the top road when it hit can remember rocks rolling and bushes hitting the road. The zig zag had cars stranded. 
Tess Curry
Remember this one clearly. Was on a farm in Oxford and raced next door to where some Aussies were staying. She was freaking out but only because the Fridge was walking towards her. First quake for them.
Leone Stewart
Remember this, we were in the Darfield Rugby clubrooms,
Melanie Galbraith
Mark Galbraith that's the day you asked me out. Still together today
Justine Christopher
Remember it clearly
Chrissy Duffell
I was about to finish my shift at the Arthurs pass tearooms when this happened. It was very scary. The after shocks happened for a long time.
Garethferal Evans
Was playing league in Brunner that day as a kid. Remember seeing the pool there spilling out water as we played as we couldn't feel it at first running. Soon found out what was causing it lol
Pamela Shirley Coltman
Was that not 1964. I was in Hokitika then.
Lynda Hine
Apparently my mum panicked more than me
Helen Ruscoe
I would hate to be on the viaduct if they have a big one. It gives me the willies x
Korryn Watson
Dawn Grant I can remember I was at your house for this huge shake
Sue Fraser
We were in the tearooms at Arthurs Pass & couldnt leave area due to slips so had to stay at chalet that night. There were constant quakes all night.
Dorothy Wills
What about the Inangahua Earthquake 24th May 1968 that dammed the Buller river too
Marilyn Paterson
I was in the kokatahi pub following a rugby game, it got a good shake!
Annette Martin Was very pregy with warren shook the house lost a lot shock for ages many after shocks
Kay Palmer Annette Martin Many big after shocks. All night long!
Maye Dunn We were living just out of Timaru and had just come through the Gorge about an hour before heading to Greymouth for a 40th birthday party. Had to go home via the Lewis.....took forever.
Ken Meadowcroft "Yep" shaky Isle's. Ha,ha,ha.
Tess Lenihan I was living in Oxford and the Aussies next door couldn't work out why the fridge was walking towards them haha
Louise Lockie Chalice Penman
Anthea Keenan Blimmin eqs, fire & floods.... not good.
Merv Fleming Shelley Evans
Shiree Couch Remember that living in Christchurch at the time.
Mick Bernadette O'Donnell We were on the zig zag coming back to Greymouth stuck up there for about 4 hours,had to go back to Ch -Ch and go home the next day via Lewis Pass
Yvonne Jean remember this my daughter Keri and I were out in the car but came home to a big crack in the ceiling
Greg Taylor Raewyn Taylor i remember that one
Linda Crisp I remember standing under the door frame in that one.
Lynda Hine I remember that. Mum panicked more than me.
Michelle Watt
I was living in Westport when this happened, the house shook for over a minute
Pete Lusk
Skilful digger operator
Andrew Mckenzie
I think this is where the new rock shelter is
John Coll
“Southern Lakes”?
Maye Dunn
John Coll yes Te Anau
Mike Rodgers
The earthquake that did this damage was the 18 June 1994 Arthur's Pass 6.7 earthquake (4 km deep) at 43.00°S, 171.47°E. There was a 6.7 earthquake (73 km deep) in Te Anau on June 4 1988, but I consider that one unlikely to have caused this damage six y… See more
Mick Bernadette O'Donnell
Can remember it well, as we were on the pass at the time. Very scary
Kyle Webster
I was staffing on a ward at Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Spring and the whole building rolled. Went outside afterwards to check for cracks (faultline ran through the hospital)Brent David
Is that when the top fell off Mt Cook?
Roger O'Regan
Brent David
I think so, but not really certain.
Liz Hay
Brent David no. The top falling off Mt Cook came some years later. It wasn't caused by an earthquake.
Reply17h
Lindsay Dowling
i was standing outside the Pioneer hotel and watching the new Hokitika bridge swaying pretty good and the poor bugger driving accross it stopped dead and didnt move for some time
Lobesy Lobesy
Lindsay Dowling pub must have been closed for you to be standing outside mate.
Lindsay Dowling
Lobesy Lobesy just finished rugby about to go in
Hayden Gibb
Lindsay Dowling was playing for the coast in Sheffield, had to stay the night and come home the Lewis.
Sue Buchanan Brownlee
Remember it well
Brent Whyte
I was on a motorbike at the top road when it hit can remember rocks rolling and bushes hitting the road. The zig zag had cars stranded. 
Tess Curry
Remember this one clearly. Was on a farm in Oxford and raced next door to where some Aussies were staying. She was freaking out but only because the Fridge was walking towards her. First quake for them.
Leone Stewart
Remember this, we were in the Darfield Rugby clubrooms,
Melanie Galbraith
Mark Galbraith that's the day you asked me out. Still together today
Justine Christopher
Remember it clearly
Chrissy Duffell
I was about to finish my shift at the Arthurs pass tearooms when this happened. It was very scary. The after shocks happened for a long time.
Garethferal Evans
Was playing league in Brunner that day as a kid. Remember seeing the pool there spilling out water as we played as we couldn't feel it at first running. Soon found out what was causing it lol
Pamela Shirley Coltman
Was that not 1964. I was in Hokitika then.
Lynda Hine
Apparently my mum panicked more than me
Helen Ruscoe
I would hate to be on the viaduct if they have a big one. It gives me the willies x
Korryn Watson
Dawn Grant I can remember I was at your house for this huge shake
Sue Fraser
We were in the tearooms at Arthurs Pass & couldnt leave area due to slips so had to stay at chalet that night. There were constant quakes all night.
Dorothy Wills
What about the Inangahua Earthquake 24th May 1968 that dammed the Buller river too
Marilyn Paterson
I was in the kokatahi pub following a rugby game, it got a good shake!
Editing is temporarily disabled
Cancel EditClick on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
West Coast New Zealand History (3rd May 2022). Earthquake damage Otira Gorge 1994. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 4th Apr 2026 17:00, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/24940