Allende meteorite fall, Mexico Shortly after midnight on 8 February 1969, a brilliant meteor passed over Pueblito de Allende, Mexico, split in two, and exploded. Thousands of meteor fragments landed in an area about 50 kilometres long and 10 kilometres wide. Several tonnes of material were eventually collected. The original meteor was estimated to have weighed about 30 tonnes. 12:15 PM
18.3.05
Ruapehu eruption costly for power station. During September and October 1995 Ruapehu erupted about 4.5 million cubic metres of ash, made up of volcanic glass fragments, rock particles and sulphur. Rainstorms washed the abrasive ash into the Tongariro River, where it was swept through the turbines of the Rangipo power station. The ash badly damaged power station equipment. After repairs costing $15 million, the station re-opened in November 1996. 12:56 PM
11.3.05
At 1 PM on 10 March 2005, a tornado tore through the centre of Greymouth and the suburb of Blaketown, creating a path of destruction about 400 metres wide and four kilometres long. The twister severely damaged many houses, 24 factories and shops, and dozens of cars. Luckily, only a few people suffered injuries. The tornado was the third to strike Greymouth in four years. 1:36 PM
4.3.05
Totara Park - suburb on a faultline Totara Park, a suburb of Upper Hutt, has been built directly over the Wellington Fault. The layout of the streets in the suburb has been specially designed to minimize earthquake damage. One street has been aligned so the fault line runs down the centre of the street under a special grassed area. No house is closer to the fault than 20 metres. Very few service lines, such as water, gas and sewerage, cross the fault. 2:40 PM
