M3.7 Depth: 5.0 km

M3.7 Earthquake near SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND (New Zealand)

UTC time: 2025-12-15 11:27:31 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

A magnitude M3.7 earthquake was recorded near SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND (New Zealand) on December 15, 2025 at 11:27 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 5 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Shaking of this size is frequently noticed but usually harmless.

The data is provided by EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks. New Zealand: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 5 earthquakes, the strongest at M4.0.

Details

Magnitude
M3.7
Depth
5.0 km
UTC time
2025-12-15 11:27:31 UTC
Local time
Country
City
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-41.00970, 172.46480
Temperature
16.9°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 5 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 5 km
Shallow
5 km
5 km — shallower than the regional average (69.9 km)
Regional average: 69.9 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

  • Taranaki
    Distance: 234 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'518 m ·Last eruption: 1800 ·New Zealand
  • Ruapehu
    Distance: 327 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'797 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·New Zealand
  • Tongariro
    Distance: 339 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'978 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·New Zealand
  • Taupo
    Distance: 383 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 760 m ·Last eruption: 260 ·New Zealand
  • Okataina
    Distance: 470 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 1'111 m ·Last eruption: 1981 ·New Zealand

Historic earthquake map · New Zealand

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

View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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