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M4.6 Depth: 29.4 km

M4.6 Earthquake near Canterbury (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-07-12 16:31:09 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M4.6 earthquake was recorded near Canterbury (New Zealand) on July 12, 2026 at 16:31 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 29 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The data is provided by USGS and cross-checked across seismological networks. New Zealand: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 6 earthquakes, the strongest at M4.3.

Details

Magnitude
M4.6
Depth
29.4 km
UTC time
2026-07-12 16:31:09 UTC
Local time
—
Country
New Zealand
State
Canterbury
City
Canterbury
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-42.57810, 173.51830
Temperature
-0.2°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 29.4 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 29.4 km
Shallow
29.4 km
29.4 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

Estimated impact

1 Felt reports · max reported intensity 2

Tectonic context

Located on the Pacific Plate.
Near the boundary Australia ↔ Pacific · about 27 km away

Volcanoes nearby

  • Taranaki
    Distance: 367 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'518 m ·Last eruption: 1800 ·New Zealand
  • Ruapehu
    Distance: 405 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'797 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·New Zealand
  • Tongariro
    Distance: 420 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'978 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Taupo
    Distance: 467 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 760 m ·Last eruption: 260 ·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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