M3.4 Depth: 46.8 km

M3.4 Earthquake near SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-01-02 19:05:45 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

A magnitude M3.4 earthquake was recorded near SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND (New Zealand) on January 2, 2026 at 19:05 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 47 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. 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 M3.2.

Details

Magnitude
M3.4
Depth
46.8 km
UTC time
2026-01-02 19:05:45 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-42.30470, 173.29670
Temperature
10.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 46.8 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 46.8 km
Shallow
46.8 km
46.8 km — shallower than the regional average (70 km)
Regional average: 70 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

  • Taranaki
    Distance: 340 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'518 m ·Last eruption: 1800 ·New Zealand
  • Ruapehu
    Distance: 387 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'797 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·New Zealand
  • Tongariro
    Distance: 401 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'978 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Taupo
    Distance: 449 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 760 m ·Last eruption: 260 ·New Zealand

Historic 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.

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