M3.1 Depth: 10.0 km

M3.1 Earthquake near Bay of Plenty (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-08-18 17:25:19 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

A magnitude M3.1 earthquake was recorded near Bay of Plenty (New Zealand) on August 18, 2026 at 17:25 UTC. With a focal depth of about 10 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 data is provided by EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Details

Magnitude
M3.1
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-08-18 17:25:19 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-37.41010, 177.38590
Temperature
10.1°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
10 km — shallower than the regional average (70.5 km)
Regional average: 70.5 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

  • Whakaari/White Island
    Distance: 22 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 294 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·New Zealand
  • Tuhua/Mayor Island
    Distance: 101 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 355 m ·Last eruption: -5055 ·New Zealand
  • Okataina
    Distance: 113 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 1'111 m ·Last eruption: 1981 ·New Zealand
  • Clark
    Distance: 115 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -860 m ·New Zealand
  • Tangaroa
    Distance: 134 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -600 m ·New Zealand
  • Rumble IV
    Distance: 154 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -500 m ·New Zealand

Historic earthquake map · New Zealand

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

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

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