Latest earthquakes near Wellington today
Complete overview of the latest earthquakes near Wellington, New Zealand, updated every minute. Did you feel an earthquake today in Wellington? If an earthquake is happening right now near Wellington, it will show up within minutes.
Wellington Earthquake Statistics
Average
A total of 824 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 km (186 mi) of Wellington in the past 10 years. This comes down to a yearly average of 82 earthquakes per year, or 6 per month. On average an earthquake will hit near Wellington roughly every 4 days.
A relatively large number of earthquakes occurred near Wellington in 2016. A total of 387 earthquakes (mag 4+) were detected within 300 km of Wellington 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 Wellington in the past 10 years. No earthquakes with a magnitude of 8 or above have occurred near Wellington 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 | 756 | 91.75% |
| Mag. 5 | 62 | 7.52% |
| Mag. 6 | 5 | 0.61% |
| Mag. 7 | 1 | 0.12% |
| Mag. 8 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 9 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
Strongest earthquakes near Wellington
The strongest recent earthquake of the past 10 years near Wellington occurred on Nov 14, 2016 00:02 local time (Pacific/Auckland timezone). It had a magnitude of 7.8 and struck 215 kilometers (134 mi) south-west of Wellington, at a depth of 15 km. Discover more strong earthquakes near Wellington in the list below.
In the table below you will find the strongest earthquakes that occurred near Wellington 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 Wellington.
Nearest earthquakes from Wellington
These are the earthquakes with their epicenter nearest to Wellington. 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 Wellington.
When was the last earthquake in Wellington?
A 3.3 magnitude earthquake hit near Wellington on the morning of May 21, 2025 at 11:41 local time (Pacific/Auckland). The center of this earthquake was located 258km north of Wellington at a depth of 172km under land. Check the list on our website for any earthquakes occurring near Wellington in the past hours.
What was the strongest earthquake near Wellington?
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit near Wellington on the night of November 14, 2016 at 00:02 local time (Pacific/Auckland). The center of this earthquake was located 215km southwest of Wellington at a depth of 15km under land. This is the strongest earthquake that occurred near Wellington since the year 1900.
How often do earthquakes occur near Wellington?
In the past 10 years, 824 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or higher occurred within a 300 kilometer range from Wellington. This averages to 82 earthquakes yearly, or one earthquake every 4 days.
