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M5.5 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands region

UTC time: 2026-09-18 23:18:28 UTC Local time: —
Earthquake newsQuakeMap24
First published: Content updated:

Automatically generated from measurement data by QuakeMap24. Values may change after further analysis.

Magnitude
M5.5
Depth
94.1 km
Source
USGS

Kermadec Islands region

Map

M5.5 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands region · 2026-09-18 — Map showing the location of the epicenter
M5.5 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands region · 2026-09-18 — Map showing the location of the epicenter

About this earthquake

On September 18, 2026 at 23:18 UTC, a magnitude M5.5 earthquake occurred near Kermadec Islands region. The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 94 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The data is provided by USGS and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Details

ID
5e2ddcfd06764a3f6232457eebb1b68b046392e0
Magnitude
M5.5
Depth
94.1 km
UTC time
2026-09-18 23:18:28 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-27.85810, -177.22860
Temperature
19.0°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 94.1 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 94.1 km
Intermediate
94.1 km
Why depth matters

Intermediate-depth quakes are felt across a wider area but usually cause less surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Estimated impact

Green No or minimal impact expected.

Tectonic context

Located on the Kermadec Plate.
Near the boundary Kermadec ↔ Australia · about 112 km away

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Nuku'alofa775.0 kmN22'400

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Raoul Island
    Distance: 171 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 516 m ·Last eruption: 2006 ·New Zealand
  • Monowai
    Distance: 219 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -132 m ·Last eruption: 2014 ·New Zealand
  • Giggenbach
    Distance: 282 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -65 m ·New Zealand
  • Macauley
    Distance: 288 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 238 m ·Last eruption: -4360 ·New Zealand
  • Curtis Island
    Distance: 325 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 47 m ·New Zealand
  • Kermadec Arc at 24.8°S
    Distance: 341 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -385 m ·Tonga

Comparison of seismic sources

3 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.1 to M5.5.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.594.1 km0.0 km
USGSM5.594.1 km0.0 km
RESIFM5.199.6 km1.5 km

No unambiguous area assignment

Context for this earthquake

This event has no unambiguous country assignment in the analysed catalogue. It is therefore not assigned to a regional profile.

Earthquake overview

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#13
Earlier events M≥478
Earlier events M≥559
Compared since2025-01-06

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

M6.22025-05-31 22:26:23 UTC83.1 kmKermadec Islands region M6.22025-05-31 22:26:22 UTC83.2 kmKERMADEC ISLANDS REGION M6.12025-05-31 14:28:51 UTC68.5 kmKermadec Islands region M6.12025-05-31 14:28:49 UTC68.5 kmKERMADEC ISLANDS REGION M6.02025-05-31 22:26:22 UTC54.4 kmKermadec Islands Region

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
599
Country (24h)
—
—
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