M5.0 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near south of the Kermadec Islands

UTC time: 2026-07-20 20:44:20 UTC Local time:
M5.0 earthquake near south of the Kermadec Islands on Jul 20, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.0 Earthquake near south of the Kermadec Islands · 2026-07-20 20:44:20 UTC

About this earthquake

On July 20, 2026 at 20:44 UTC, a magnitude M5.0 earthquake occurred near south of the Kermadec Islands. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

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

Details

Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-07-20 20:44:20 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-32.75900, -178.08780
Temperature
15.2°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

Tectonic context

Located on the Kermadec Plate.
Near the boundary Kermadec ↔ Pacific · about 37 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Whakatane730.4 kmSW18'602
Tauranga756.3 kmSW161'000
Auckland795.1 kmSW1'547'200

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Wright
    Distance: 144 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: -900 m ·New Zealand
  • Havre Seamount
    Distance: 207 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -897 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Curtis Island
    Distance: 250 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 47 m ·New Zealand
  • Macauley
    Distance: 286 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 238 m ·Last eruption: -4360 ·New Zealand
  • Giggenbach
    Distance: 309 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -65 m ·New Zealand
  • Raoul Island
    Distance: 388 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 516 m ·Last eruption: 2006 ·New Zealand

Comparison of seismic sources

2 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.0 to M5.0.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.010.0 km0.0 km
USGSM5.010.0 km0.0 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#88
Earlier events M≥4143
Earlier events M≥5100
Compared since2025-01-10

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

Strongest earlier events

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
595
Country (24h)
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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