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M5.0 Depth: 105.9 km

M5.0 Earthquake near Taranaki (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-01-08 19:29:36 UTC Local time: —
M5.0 earthquake near Taranaki on Jan 8, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.0 Earthquake near Taranaki (New Zealand) · 2026-01-08 19:29:36 UTC

About this earthquake

On January 8, 2026 at 19:29 UTC, a magnitude M5.0 earthquake occurred near Taranaki (New Zealand). The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 106 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by EMSC. New Zealand: 3 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.2.

Details

Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
105.9 km
UTC time
2026-01-08 19:29:36 UTC
Local time
—
Country
New Zealand
State
Taranaki
City
Taranaki
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-39.84400, 174.49520
Temperature
18.5°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 105.9 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 105.9 km
Intermediate
105.9 km
105.9 km — deeper than the regional average (70 km)
Regional average: 70 km
Why depth matters

Intermediate-depth quakes are felt across a wider area but usually cause less surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Whanganui48.4 kmE49'200
Lower Hutt156.7 kmS114'200
Auckland333.9 kmN1'547'200

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Taranaki
    Distance: 71 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'518 m ·Last eruption: 1800 ·New Zealand
  • Ruapehu
    Distance: 111 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'797 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·New Zealand
  • Tongariro
    Distance: 124 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'978 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Taupo
    Distance: 169 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 760 m ·Last eruption: 260 ·New Zealand
  • Okataina
    Distance: 256 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 1'111 m ·Last eruption: 1981 ·New Zealand
  • Tuhua/Mayor Island
    Distance: 323 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 355 m ·Last eruption: -5055 ·New Zealand

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

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

First 6 hours2
First 24 hours2
First 72 hours2
Strongest subsequent eventM5.1
M5.02026-01-08 19:29:37 UTC5.0 kmTaranaki M5.12026-01-08 19:29:37 UTC10.9 kmSouth Taranaki District M3.12026-01-12 02:13:46 UTC143.1 kmTararua District M3.12026-01-15 12:26:15 UTC109.5 kmWellington M3.32026-01-17 18:20:26 UTC145.4 kmMarlborough M3.12026-01-20 03:29:07 UTC41.0 kmSouth Taranaki District M3.02026-01-21 05:40:05 UTC128.7 kmPaekākāriki M3.32026-01-22 02:35:06 UTC103.1 kmRuapehu District M3.12026-01-22 10:40:40 UTC125.7 kmMarlborough M3.32026-01-23 05:41:48 UTC123.7 kmCOOK STRAIT, NEW ZEALAND M3.52026-01-24 20:55:53 UTC77.7 kmRangitīkei District M3.22026-01-26 00:51:18 UTC87.7 kmStratford District

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#1
Earlier events M≥416
Earlier events M≥50
Compared since2025-02-14

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

Strongest earlier events

M4.92025-08-30 11:31:28 UTC145.1 km32 km NW of Waikawa, New Zealand M4.92025-08-30 11:31:26 UTC147.2 kmSOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND M4.92025-07-30 05:27:21 UTC148.5 kmNORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND M4.62025-11-10 18:51:33 UTC120.6 km65 km WNW of Turangi, New Zealand M4.62025-11-10 18:51:31 UTC117.7 kmNORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND

Historic earthquake map · New Zealand

Open history map
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

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

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