Latest earthquakes near Canterbury, New Zealand today
Complete overview of the latest earthquakes near Canterbury, New Zealand, updated every minute. Did you feel an earthquake today in Canterbury? If an earthquake is happening right now near Canterbury, it will show up within minutes.
Canterbury Earthquake Statistics
Average
A total of 575 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 km (186 mi) of Canterbury, New Zealand in the past 10 years. This comes down to a yearly average of 57 earthquakes per year, or 4 per month. On average an earthquake will hit near Canterbury roughly every 6 days.
A relatively large number of earthquakes occurred near Canterbury in 2016. A total of 358 earthquakes (mag 4+) were detected within 300 km of Canterbury 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 Canterbury in the past 10 years. No earthquakes with a magnitude of 8 or above have occurred near Canterbury 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 | 526 | 91.48% |
| Mag. 5 | 44 | 7.65% |
| Mag. 6 | 4 | 0.7% |
| Mag. 7 | 1 | 0.17% |
| Mag. 8 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 9 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
Strongest earthquakes near Canterbury
The strongest recent earthquake of the past 10 years near Canterbury 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 Canterbury in the list below.
In the table below you will find the strongest earthquakes that occurred near Canterbury, 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 Canterbury.
Earthquakes by city in Canterbury
Click the links below for earthquake reports for major places in Canterbury, New Zealand.
Use this regional Canterbury earthquake report for earthquakes that were felt in smaller towns and cities in the region, including Timaru, Ashburton and Rangiora.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions are commonly asked in relation to earthquakes occurring near Canterbury.
When was the last earthquake in Canterbury, New Zealand?
A 3.1 magnitude earthquake hit near Canterbury on the night of May 18, 2025 at 05:40 local time (Pacific/Auckland). The center of this earthquake was located 165km north-northeast of Christchurch at a depth of 5km under land. Check the list on our website for any earthquakes occurring near Canterbury, New Zealand in the past hours.
What was the strongest earthquake near Canterbury, New Zealand?
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit near Canterbury 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 Canterbury since the year 1900.
How often do earthquakes occur near Canterbury, New Zealand?
In the past 10 years, 575 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or higher occurred within a 300 kilometer range from Canterbury. This averages to 58 earthquakes yearly, or one earthquake every 6 days.
