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M3.0 Depth: 81.2 km

M3.0 Earthquake near Buller District, West Coast (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-01-17 23:18:15 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On January 17, 2026 at 23:18 UTC, a magnitude M3.0 earthquake occurred near Buller District, West Coast (New Zealand). At around 81 km, the focal depth places this among intermediate-depth events. Earthquakes of this magnitude are often felt but rarely cause damage.

The event was recorded by EMSC. New Zealand: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 3 earthquakes, the strongest at M3.2.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 81.2 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 81.2 km
Intermediate
81.2 km
81.2 km — close to the regional average (70 km)
Regional average: 70 km
Why depth matters

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

Depth classes per USGS

Volcanoes nearby

  • Taranaki
    Distance: 309 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'518 m ·Last eruption: 1800 ·New Zealand
  • Ruapehu
    Distance: 390 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'797 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·New Zealand
  • Tongariro
    Distance: 404 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'978 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Taupo
    Distance: 450 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 760 m ·Last eruption: 260 ·New Zealand

Historic earthquake map · New Zealand

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Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · New Zealand

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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