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M5.1 Depth: 103.6 km

M5.1 Earthquake near South Taranaki District, Taranaki (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2026-01-08 19:29:37 UTC Local time: —
M5.1 earthquake near South Taranaki District on Jan 8, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.1 Earthquake near South Taranaki District, Taranaki (New Zealand) · 2026-01-08 19:29:37 UTC

About this earthquake

On January 8, 2026 at 19:29 UTC, a magnitude M5.1 earthquake occurred near South Taranaki District, Taranaki (New Zealand). The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 104 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The data is provided by RESIF and cross-checked across seismological networks. New Zealand: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 3 earthquakes, the strongest at M3.2.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 103.6 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 103.6 km
Intermediate
103.6 km
103.6 km — deeper than the regional average (70 km)
Regional average: 70 km
Why depth matters

Intermediate-depth quakes are felt across a wider area but usually cause less surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Whanganui40.4 kmE49'200
Lower Hutt159.7 kmS114'200
Auckland328.4 kmN1'547'200

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Taranaki
    Distance: 72 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'518 m ·Last eruption: 1800 ·New Zealand
  • Ruapehu
    Distance: 101 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'797 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·New Zealand
  • Tongariro
    Distance: 113 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'978 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Taupo
    Distance: 158 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 760 m ·Last eruption: 260 ·New Zealand
  • Okataina
    Distance: 245 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 1'111 m ·Last eruption: 1981 ·New Zealand
  • Tuhua/Mayor Island
    Distance: 314 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 355 m ·Last eruption: -5055 ·New Zealand

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours0
First 24 hours0
First 72 hours0
Strongest subsequent eventM4.4
M3.12026-01-12 02:13:46 UTC137.9 kmTararua District M3.32026-01-12 09:06:55 UTC148.4 kmOruatua M3.12026-01-15 12:26:15 UTC113.8 kmWellington M3.12026-01-20 03:29:07 UTC36.8 kmSouth Taranaki District M3.02026-01-21 05:40:05 UTC131.2 kmPaekākāriki M3.32026-01-22 02:35:06 UTC94.8 kmRuapehu District M3.12026-01-22 10:40:40 UTC134.6 kmMarlborough M3.32026-01-23 05:41:48 UTC134.5 kmCOOK STRAIT, NEW ZEALAND M3.52026-01-24 20:55:53 UTC68.3 kmRangitīkei District M3.52026-01-25 04:33:13 UTC148.2 kmRuapehu District M3.22026-01-26 00:51:18 UTC79.3 kmStratford District M3.12026-01-26 08:10:12 UTC45.9 kmSouth Taranaki District

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#2
Earlier events M≥419
Earlier events M≥54
Compared since2025-01-28

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

M5.22025-01-28 10:26:32 UTC148.3 km22 km NE of Kopuaranga, New Zealand M5.02026-01-08 19:29:36 UTC11.6 kmTaranaki M5.02026-01-08 19:29:36 UTC10.9 kmTaranaki M5.02026-01-08 19:29:36 UTC11.4 kmTaranaki M4.92025-07-30 05:27:23 UTC140.8 km6 km N of Turangi, 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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