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| Date | September 1, 1888 |
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| Magnitude | 7.0-7.3 |
| Depth | 15km |
| Epicenter | [1] |
| Countries or regions | South Island New Zealand |
| Casualties | No fatalities |
The 1888 North Canterbury earthquake is the name associated with a severe earthquake which occurred at 4.10 a.m on 1 September 1888 following a sequence of foreshocks that started the previous evening, and whose epicentre was in the North Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand.
In Christchurch, about 100 km southeast of the epicentre, shaking lasted for 40 to 50 seconds. The magnitude of the earthquake is estimated to be in the range 7.0 - 7.3. Severe damage to farm buildings in the epicentral region was reported and the top 7.8 metres of the spire of ChristChurch Cathedral, Christchurch collapsed. It was the first earthquake observed to be associated with mainly horizontal fault displacement.[2]
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New Zealand lies along the boundary between the Australian and Pacific plates.
The earthquake occurred on the Hope Fault, one of the group of dextral strike-slip structures known as the Marlborough Fault System that transfer displacement between the mainly transform and convergent type plate boundaries in a complex zone at the northern end of South Island[4]. Alexander McKay, a geologist working for the geological survey, observed horizontal offsets in farm fences between 1.5 and 2.6 metres along the fault. He was the first to associate a strike-slip displacement with an earthquake.
In the North Canterbury region many buildings were severely damaged, particularly in the Hope Valley and Hanmer areas. Landslides occurred in unconsolidated sediment and fissures up to 30 cm wide were observed.
In Christchurch, the top 7.8 metres of the Cathedral spire fell down and minor damage, such as broken chimneys, affected many houses. Damage was greatest in the northern and northwestern suburbs, probably due to the peaty sub-soil.