M3.9 Depth: 48.7 km

M3.9 Earthquake near Fiordland Community, Southland (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-07-16 09:51:51 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

On July 16, 2026 at 09:51 UTC, a magnitude M3.9 earthquake occurred near Fiordland Community, Southland (New Zealand). With a focal depth of about 49 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Shaking of this size is frequently noticed but usually harmless.

The event was recorded by EMSC. New Zealand: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 6 earthquakes, the strongest at M4.3.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 48.7 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 48.7 km
Shallow
48.7 km
48.7 km — shallower than the regional average (70 km)
Regional average: 70 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Historic earthquake map · New Zealand

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