The 1888 North Canterbury earthquake occurred on September 1 at 4.10 a.m. following a sequence of foreshocks that started the previous evening. In Christchurch, about 100 km southeast of the epicenter, 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 collapsed. It was the first earthquake observed to be associated with mainly horizontal fault displacement.