Magnitude
M3.2
- Depth
- 11.9 km
- Source
- EMSC
Canterbury · Kaikōura
Country overviewNew Zealand · Canterbury
M3.2 Earthquake near Kaikōura, Canterbury (New Zealand)
Map
About this earthquake
On February 18, 2026 at 12:25 UTC, a magnitude M3.2 earthquake occurred near Kaikōura, Canterbury (New Zealand). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 12 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude are often felt but rarely cause damage.
The data is provided by EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks. New Zealand: 5 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M4.0.
Details
ID
fbd4c9d1ad1159dfec70a65be1dcfdbbaa989a37
Magnitude
M3.2
Depth
11.9 km
UTC time
2026-02-18 12:25:26 UTC
Local time
—
Country
State
City
County
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-42.39560,
173.75140
Temperature
16.5°C
Depth profile
Shallow
11.9 km
11.9 km — shallower than the regional average (70.9 km)
Regional average: 70.9 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
New Zealand
Context for this earthquake
05 Oct 2025 – 05 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 725 Catalogue entries
Sufficiently reliable matching data are not currently available for a direct comparison. The area profile shows the available records and their limitations.
Open seismic profileHistoric earthquake map · New Zealand
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Country statistics · New Zealand
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.
Stats (last 24h)
Global (24h)
612
Country (24h)
New Zealand
5
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