M3.3 Depth: 3.4 km

M3.3 Earthquake near Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-01-22 08:39:18 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

A magnitude M3.3 earthquake was recorded near Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago (New Zealand) on January 22, 2026 at 08:39 UTC. With a focal depth of about 3 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. New Zealand: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 3 earthquakes, the strongest at M3.2.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 3.4 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 3.4 km
Shallow
3.4 km
3.4 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

Historic earthquake map · New Zealand

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