Latest earthquakes near Nelson today
Complete overview of the latest earthquakes near Nelson, New Zealand, updated every minute. Did you feel an earthquake today in Nelson? If an earthquake is happening right now near Nelson, it will show up within minutes.
Nelson Earthquake Statistics
Average
A total of 781 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 km (186 mi) of Nelson in the past 10 years. This comes down to a yearly average of 78 earthquakes per year, or 6 per month. On average an earthquake will hit near Nelson roughly every 4 days.
A relatively large number of earthquakes occurred near Nelson in 2016. A total of 378 earthquakes (mag 4+) were detected within 300 km of Nelson 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 Nelson in the past 10 years. No earthquakes with a magnitude of 8 or above have occurred near Nelson 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 | 720 | 92.19% |
| Mag. 5 | 55 | 7.04% |
| Mag. 6 | 5 | 0.64% |
| Mag. 7 | 1 | 0.13% |
| Mag. 8 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 9 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
Strongest earthquakes near Nelson
The strongest recent earthquake of the past 10 years near Nelson occurred on Nov 14, 2016 00:02 local time (Pacific/Auckland timezone). It had a magnitude of 7.8 and struck 164 kilometers (102 mi) south of Nelson, at a depth of 15 km. Discover more strong earthquakes near Nelson in the list below.
In the table below you will find the strongest earthquakes that occurred near Nelson 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 Nelson.
Nearest earthquakes from Nelson
These are the earthquakes with their epicenter nearest to Nelson. You can use the buttons to find nearby earthquakes for a specific year or with a specific magnitude.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions are commonly asked in relation to earthquakes occurring near Nelson.
When was the last earthquake in Nelson?
A 3.2 magnitude earthquake hit near Nelson on the morning of November 18, 2025 at 10:13 local time (Pacific/Auckland). The center of this earthquake was located 46km south-east of Nelson at a depth of 35km under land. Check the list on our website for any earthquakes occurring near Nelson in the past hours.
What was the strongest earthquake near Nelson?
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit near Nelson on the night of November 14, 2016 at 00:02 local time (Pacific/Auckland). The center of this earthquake was located 164km south of Nelson at a depth of 15km under land. This is the strongest earthquake that occurred near Nelson since the year 1900.
How often do earthquakes occur near Nelson?
In the past 10 years, 781 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or higher occurred within a 300 kilometer range from Nelson. This averages to 78 earthquakes yearly, or one earthquake every 5 days.
