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M3.1 Depth: 54.3 km

M3.1 Earthquake near SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-01-04 10:54:35 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M3.1 earthquake was recorded near SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND (New Zealand) on January 4, 2026 at 10:54 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 54 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: 3 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.2.

Details

Magnitude
M3.1
Depth
54.3 km
UTC time
2026-01-04 10:54:35 UTC
Local time
—
Country
New Zealand
City
Southland
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-45.00130, 167.83840
Temperature
13.2°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 54.3 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 54.3 km
Shallow
54.3 km
54.3 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

Historic earthquake map · New Zealand

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

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