Magnitude
M3.2
- Depth
- 5.0 km
- Source
- EMSC
Canterbury · Ashburton District
Country overviewNew Zealand · Canterbury
M3.2 Earthquake near Ashburton District, Canterbury (New Zealand)
Map
About this earthquake
On April 17, 2026 at 21:10 UTC, a magnitude M3.2 earthquake occurred near Ashburton District, Canterbury (New Zealand). With a focal depth of about 5 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 event was recorded by EMSC. New Zealand: 5 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M4.0.
Details
ID
921932170a30b48111e542162f3ccf5ff0227a63
Magnitude
M3.2
Depth
5.0 km
UTC time
2026-04-17 21:10:24 UTC
Local time
—
Country
State
City
County
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-43.49630,
171.16720
Temperature
6.2°C
Depth profile
Shallow
5 km
5 km — shallower than the regional average (70.9 km)
Regional average: 70.9 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
New Zealand
Context for this earthquake
05 Oct 2025 – 05 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 725 Catalogue entries
Sufficiently reliable matching data are not currently available for a direct comparison. The area profile shows the available records and their limitations.
Open seismic profileHistoric earthquake map · New Zealand
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
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.
Stats (last 24h)
Global (24h)
615
Country (24h)
New Zealand
5
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude
Place
Local time