M5.1 Depth: 35.0 km

M5.1 Earthquake near OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.

UTC time: 2026-05-02 21:19:13 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

On May 2, 2026 at 21:19 UTC, a magnitude M5.1 earthquake occurred near OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 35 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by EMSC.

Details

Magnitude
M5.1
Depth
35.0 km
UTC time
2026-05-02 21:19:13 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-37.56130, 178.20230
Temperature
18.1°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 35 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 35 km
Shallow
35 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
Whakatane115.7 kmSW18'602
Tauranga179.8 kmW161'000
Auckland314.7 kmW1'547'200

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Whakaari/White Island
    Distance: 90 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 294 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·New Zealand
  • Clark
    Distance: 128 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -860 m ·New Zealand
  • Tangaroa
    Distance: 139 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -600 m ·New Zealand
  • Rumble V
    Distance: 158 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -400 m ·New Zealand
  • Rumble IV
    Distance: 160 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -500 m ·New Zealand
  • Okataina
    Distance: 163 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 1'111 m ·Last eruption: 1981 ·New Zealand

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours0
First 24 hours2
First 72 hours32
Strongest subsequent eventM6.1

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#2
Earlier events M≥429
Earlier events M≥55
Compared since2025-01-05

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

Strongest earlier events

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
635
Country (24h)
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

Share