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M5.3 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.3 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands region

UTC time: 2026-01-09 12:13:36 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.3 earthquake was recorded near Kermadec Islands region on January 9, 2026 at 12:13 UTC. With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

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

Details

Magnitude
M5.3
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-01-09 12:13:36 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-31.26040, -177.82350
Temperature
22.0°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 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

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Whangarei881.2 kmSW50'900
Tauranga901.8 kmSW161'000
Auckland922.7 kmSW1'547'200

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Curtis Island
    Distance: 106 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 47 m ·New Zealand
  • Havre Seamount
    Distance: 117 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -897 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Macauley
    Distance: 132 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 238 m ·Last eruption: -4360 ·New Zealand
  • Wright
    Distance: 144 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: -900 m ·New Zealand
  • Giggenbach
    Distance: 160 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -65 m ·New Zealand
  • Raoul Island
    Distance: 222 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 516 m ·Last eruption: 2006 ·New Zealand

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#12
Earlier events M≥482
Earlier events M≥537
Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.72025-07-15 09:55:01 UTC135.8 kmKermadec Islands, New Zealand M5.72025-07-15 09:55:01 UTC135.2 kmKERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND M5.72025-07-15 09:54:59 UTC119.2 kmKermadec Islands, New Zealand M5.72025-07-15 09:54:58 UTC119.1 kmKermadec Islands, New Zealand M5.52025-09-23 12:44:40 UTC71.7 kmKermadec Islands region

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
591
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
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No recent events available.

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