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New Zealand · Manawatū-Whanganui

M3.1 Earthquake near Stratford District, Manawatū-Whanganui (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-10-04 16:16:09 UTC Local time: —
Magnitude
M3.1
Depth
18.3 km
Source
EMSC

Manawatū-Whanganui · Stratford District

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About this earthquake

On October 4, 2026 at 16:16 UTC, a magnitude M3.1 earthquake occurred near Stratford District, Manawatū-Whanganui (New Zealand). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 18 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Shaking of this size is frequently noticed but usually harmless.

The event was recorded by EMSC. New Zealand: 3 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.4.

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 18.3 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 18.3 km
Shallow
18.3 km
18.3 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

Volcanoes nearby

  • Taranaki
    Distance: 57 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'518 m ·Last eruption: 1800 ·New Zealand
  • Ruapehu
    Distance: 72 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'797 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·New Zealand
  • Tongariro
    Distance: 79 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'978 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Taupo
    Distance: 114 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 760 m ·Last eruption: 260 ·New Zealand
  • Okataina
    Distance: 198 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 1'111 m ·Last eruption: 1981 ·New Zealand
  • Tuhua/Mayor Island
    Distance: 259 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 355 m ·Last eruption: -5055 ·New Zealand

Manawatū-Whanganui

Context for this earthquake

04 Oct 2025 – 04 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 107 Catalogue entries

Of 106 other entries for this area and period, 69 have a higher stored magnitude. Different magnitude types and reports not yet merged limit the comparison.

Open seismic profile

Historic earthquake map · New Zealand

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Country statistics · New Zealand

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