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 hit in the South Pacific Ocean 188km from Tauranga (New Zealand) on Sunday Morning.
New Zealand Earthquake Statistics
Average
A total of 2316 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 | 2115 | 91.32% |
| 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.
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 3.4 magnitude earthquake hit near New Zealand on the afternoon of May 19, 2026 at 15:11 local time (Pacific/Auckland). The center of this earthquake was located 181km north of Dunedin at a depth of 5km under land. 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 night of November 14, 2016 at 00:02 local time (Pacific/Auckland). The center of this earthquake was located 95km north-northeast of Christchurch at a depth of 15km under land. 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, 2316 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or higher occurred within a 300 kilometer range from New Zealand. This averages to 232 earthquakes yearly, or one earthquake every 2 days.
