Magnitude
M3.1
- Depth
- 12.0 km
- Source
- EMSC
Canterbury · Kaikōura District
Country overviewNew Zealand · Canterbury
M3.1 Earthquake near Kaikōura District, Canterbury (New Zealand)
Map
About this earthquake
A magnitude M3.1 earthquake was recorded near Kaikōura District, Canterbury (New Zealand) on October 1, 2026 at 17:18 UTC. With a focal depth of about 12 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude are often felt but rarely cause damage.
The data is provided by EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks. New Zealand: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 3 earthquakes, the strongest at M4.0.
Details
ID
2a8474597b00ae4798b97b67ec31d281620ba9ff
Magnitude
M3.1
Depth
12.0 km
UTC time
2026-10-01 17:18:26 UTC
Local time
—
Country
State
City
County
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-42.21250,
173.56040
Temperature
7.0°C
Depth profile
Shallow
12 km
12 km — shallower than the regional average (70.1 km)
Regional average: 70.1 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
Volcanoes nearby
New Zealand
Context for this earthquake
04 Oct 2025 – 04 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 726 Catalogue entries
Of 725 other entries for this area and period, 485 have a higher stored magnitude. Different magnitude types and reports not yet merged limit the comparison.
Open seismic profileHistoric earthquake map · New Zealand
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Country statistics · New Zealand
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Stats (last 24h)
Global (24h)
450
Country (24h)
New Zealand
3
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