EarthquakeIndex

Earthquakes in New Zealand

New Zealand straddles the boundary between the Pacific and Australian plates and is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. The North Island sits above the Hikurangi subduction zone, while the South Island is split by the Alpine Fault, one of Earth's great transform faults, capable of magnitude-8 ruptures.

The 2011 Christchurch earthquake (M6.3), though moderate in size, struck directly beneath the city and killed 185 people. Five years later the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake (M7.8) tore through a dozen faults at once, one of the most complex ruptures ever studied.

The figures below are drawn live from the EarthquakeIndex archive for the area shown. No one can predict when the next earthquake will strike — but you can follow every event the moment EMSC records it.

New Zealand seismic activity at a glance

Recent earthquakes in New Zealand

The last 30 days, newest first.

Date Magnitude Depth Region
M3.7m 222 km Off E. Coast Of N. Island, N.z.
M3.1m 6 km South Island Of New Zealand
M3.0m 39 km Off E. Coast Of N. Island, N.z.
M3.7m 18 km South Island Of New Zealand
M4.0ml 8 km South Island Of New Zealand
M3.0m 143 km Off E. Coast Of N. Island, N.z.
M3.4m 64 km South Island Of New Zealand
M3.3m 221 km Off E. Coast Of N. Island, N.z.
M3.1m 334 km Off E. Coast Of N. Island, N.z.
M5.1mw 280 km North Island Of New Zealand
M3.2ml 177 km North Island Of New Zealand
M3.0m 90 km Cook Strait, New Zealand
M4.3ml 179 km Off E. Coast Of N. Island, N.z.
M3.0ml 202 km Cook Strait, New Zealand
M3.2ml 25 km South Island Of New Zealand
M2.9m 10 km North Island Of New Zealand
M3.5m 143 km North Island Of New Zealand
M4.2mb 26 km North Island Of New Zealand
M3.3m 385 km Cook Strait, New Zealand
M3.0m 311 km North Island Of New Zealand

Live data from the EarthquakeIndex archive · source EMSC.

Explore New Zealand on the live map →

Other countries