Gnu, I've lived in Auckland since 1974, and I've never felt an earthquake.   Hope that's not famous last words. Auckland is an isthmus composed mainly of volcanos, extinct ones, we hope, but the scientists say not.
A social commentator, not a scientist, tossed in his theory this morning that the ChCh earthquakes are a new faultline forming.

The White Island to Egmont fault that Robyn spoke of is very real.