}}</ref> dengan kedalaman 5 kilometer. Gempa ini diyakini sebagai bencana alam paling mematikan kedua dalam sejarah [[Selandia Baru]].
Gempa Bumibumi ini menimbulkan kerusakan besar, terutama di kota [[Christchurch]], kota terdekat dari episentrum gempa, dan juga [[daftar kota di Selandia Baru|kota terbesar kedua]] di Selandia Baru. Gempa ini merupakan gempa susulan setelah sebelumnya Christchurch [[Gempa bumi Canterbury 2010|diguncang gempa]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/world/asia/23zealand.html?hp|title=Scores Killed in New Zealand Earthquake|work=The New York Times|date=February 22|access-date=2011-02-22|archive-date=2023-05-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507233432/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/world/asia/23zealand.html?hp|dead-url=no}}</ref> pada tanggal 4 [[September 2010|September]] [[2010]]. Sedikitnya 185 orang tewas akibat musibah ini,<ref name="listdeceased">{{cite web |url= http://www.police.govt.nz/list-deceased |title= List of deceased - Christchurch earthquake |publisher= New Zealand Police |date= 7 April 2011 |accessdate= 8 April 2011 |archive-date= 2012-07-31 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120731044800/http://www.police.govt.nz/list-deceased |dead-url= no }}</ref> sementara kerugian materiil akibat gempa mencapai 15-16 miliar [[dolar Selandia Baru]].<ref name="eatGDP">{{cite web |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/rebuilding-christchurch/4984173/Quake-rebuild-will-eat-into-GDP |first= Fiona |last= Rotherham |date= 10 May 2011 |accessdate= 15 May 2011 |title= Quake rebuild will eat into GDP |publisher= Stuff.co.nz |archive-date= 2011-05-13 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110513072810/http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/rebuilding-christchurch/4984173/Quake-rebuild-will-eat-into-GDP |dead-url= no }}</ref><ref name="jpmorgan">{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-22/new-zealand-s-earthquake-may-become-costliest-insured-disaster-since-2008.html|title=New Zealand's Earthquake May Become Costliest Insured Disaster Since 2008|first1=Noah|last1=Buhayar|first2=Jacob|last2=Greber|first3=Nichola|last3=Saminather|work=Bloomberg|date=23 February 2011|accessdate=24 February 2011|archive-date=2015-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150126130543/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-22/new-zealand-s-earthquake-may-become-costliest-insured-disaster-since-2008.html|dead-url=no}}</ref>