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M4.8 Depth: 20.0 km

M4.8 Earthquake near Wellington (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-01-13 10:21:30 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M4.8 earthquake was recorded near Wellington (New Zealand) on January 13, 2026 at 10:21 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 20 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The event was recorded by GFZ. New Zealand: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 3 earthquakes, the strongest at M3.2.

Details

Magnitude
M4.8
Depth
20.0 km
UTC time
2026-01-13 10:21:30 UTC
Local time
—
Country
New Zealand
State
Wellington
City
Wellington
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-40.79000, 176.41000
Temperature
16.6°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 20 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 20 km
Shallow
20 km
20 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

  • Ruapehu
    Distance: 182 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'797 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·New Zealand
  • Tongariro
    Distance: 193 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'978 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Taupo
    Distance: 228 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 760 m ·Last eruption: 260 ·New Zealand
  • Taranaki
    Distance: 259 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'518 m ·Last eruption: 1800 ·New Zealand
  • Okataina
    Distance: 293 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 1'111 m ·Last eruption: 1981 ·New Zealand
  • Whakaari/White Island
    Distance: 370 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 294 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·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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