Back to map
New Zealand · Bay of Plenty

M3.5 Earthquake near Whakatāne District, Bay of Plenty (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-10-08 09:04:56 UTC Local time: —
Magnitude
M3.5
Depth
34.0 km
Source
EMSC

Bay of Plenty · Whakatāne District

Country overview

Map

About this earthquake

A magnitude M3.5 earthquake was recorded near Whakatāne District, Bay of Plenty (New Zealand) on October 8, 2026 at 09:04 UTC. With a focal depth of about 34 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Shaking of this size is frequently noticed but usually harmless.

The event was recorded by EMSC.

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 34 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 34 km
Shallow
34 km
34 km — shallower than the regional average (70.2 km)
Regional average: 70.2 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

  • Okataina
    Distance: 48 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 1'111 m ·Last eruption: 1981 ·New Zealand
  • Taupo
    Distance: 74 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 760 m ·Last eruption: 260 ·New Zealand
  • Tongariro
    Distance: 114 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'978 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Whakaari/White Island
    Distance: 123 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 294 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·New Zealand
  • Ruapehu
    Distance: 127 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'797 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·New Zealand
  • Tuhua/Mayor Island
    Distance: 147 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 355 m ·Last eruption: -5055 ·New Zealand

Bay of Plenty

Context for this earthquake

05 Oct 2025 – 05 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 115 Catalogue entries

Sufficiently reliable matching data are not currently available for a direct comparison. The area profile shows the available records and their limitations.

Open seismic profile

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.

Share