Latest earthquakes near New Zealand today
Complete overview of the latest earthquakes near the country New Zealand, updated every minute. Did you feel an earthquake today in New Zealand? If an earthquake is happening right now near New Zealand (also known as Aotearoa), it will show up within minutes.
Recent New Zealand Earthquake News
These are the latest articles published related to earthquakes occurring near New Zealand. Check our Earthquake News section for a complete overview of articles written on earthquakes near New Zealand and elsewhere.
May 5, 2026 08:00PM
Shallow M5.8 Earthquake hit in the South Pacific Ocean 143km from Tauranga (New Zealand) on Tuesday Evening.
May 3, 2026 09:19AM
Significant M5.1 Earthquake struck on Sunday Morning 180km from Tauranga in New Zealand.
New Zealand Earthquake Statistics
Average
A total of 2314 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 km (186 mi) of New Zealand in the past 10 years. This comes down to a yearly average of 231 earthquakes per year, or 19 per month. On average an earthquake will hit near New Zealand roughly every 1 days.
A relatively large number of earthquakes occurred near New Zealand in 2016. A total of 676 earthquakes (mag 4+) were detected within 300 km of New Zealand that year. The strongest had a 7.8 magnitude.
Magnitude Distribution
The table below visualizes the distribution of all earthquakes that occurred within 300km of New Zealand in the past 10 years. No earthquakes with a magnitude of 8 or above have occurred near New Zealand during this time. Usually, higher magnitudes are less common than lower magnitudes. Small earthquakes with a magnitude below 4 on the Richter scale have been omitted from this overview.
| Magnitude | Earthquakes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Mag. 4 | 2113 | 91.31% |
| Mag. 5 | 188 | 8.12% |
| Mag. 6 | 10 | 0.43% |
| Mag. 7 | 3 | 0.13% |
| Mag. 8 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 9 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
Strongest earthquakes near New Zealand
The strongest recent earthquake of the past 10 years near New Zealand occurred on Nov 14, 2016 00:02 local time (Pacific/Auckland timezone). It had a magnitude of 7.8 and struck 95 kilometers (59 mi) north-northeast of Christchurch, at a depth of 15 km. Discover more strong earthquakes near New Zealand in the list below.
A longer time ago, a MAG-7.8 earthquake struck on Jul 15, 2009 21:22, 155 kilometers (96 mi) north-northeast of Invercargill. It is the strongest earthquake near New Zealand in the past 126 years (Our data goes back to January 1st, 1900).
In the table below you will find the strongest earthquakes that occurred near New Zealand in the past 10 years. You can use the tabs to find the heaviest historic earthquakes since the year 1900 or within a specific year or distance from New Zealand.
Earthquakes by region of New Zealand
Click the links below for earthquake reports for regions in New Zealand.
- Auckland
- Bay of Plenty
- Canterbury
- Gisborne
- Hawke's Bay
- Manawatu-Wanganui
- Marlborough
- Nelson
- Northland
- Otago
- Southland
- Taranaki
- Waikato
- Wellington
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions are commonly asked in relation to earthquakes occurring near New Zealand.
When was the last earthquake in New Zealand?
A 4.4 magnitude earthquake hit near New Zealand on the evening of May 16, 2026 at 18:34 local time (Pacific/Auckland). The center of this earthquake was located 77km southwest of Wellington at a depth of 10km under water in the South Pacific Ocean. Check the list on our website for any earthquakes occurring near New Zealand in the past hours.
What was the strongest earthquake near New Zealand?
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit near New Zealand on the evening of July 15, 2009 at 21:22 local time (Pacific/Auckland). The center of this earthquake was located 155km west-northwest of Invercargill at a depth of 12km under water in the Tasman Sea. This is the strongest earthquake that occurred near New Zealand since the year 1900.
How often do earthquakes occur near New Zealand?
In the past 10 years, 2314 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or higher occurred within a 300 kilometer range from New Zealand. This averages to 231 earthquakes yearly, or one earthquake every 2 days.
