Live New Zealand Earthquake Map

Latest earthquake

The most recent earthquake in New Zealand was a magnitude 2.1, 85 km north-east of Collingwood, 16 minutes ago at 5.14pm.

The last earthquake likely to have been felt in New Zealand was a magnitude 4.9, 1365 km north-east of Whangarei, 9 hours ago at 8.22am.

Source — GeoNet. Magnitudes and locations are GeoNet’s published values. Updates automatically every 60 seconds. All times NZST/NZDT.

Understanding Earthquakes in New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the most seismically active countries on Earth. The country sits on the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate, two massive slabs of the Earth’s crust that are constantly grinding against each other. This collision zone, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, produces thousands of earthquakes every year. GeoNet, operated by GNS Science, records more than 20,000 earthquakes in and around New Zealand annually. Most are too small to be felt. Several hundred are large enough to be noticed, and a handful each year are strong enough to cause damage.

The map above shows earthquakes recorded by GeoNet’s network of seismographs stationed across the country. The data updates automatically every 60 seconds, making this one of the most current earthquake maps available for New Zealand. Earthquakes that happened within the last 15 minutes are marked with a pulsing red ring so you can spot fresh activity at a glance.

Why New Zealand Gets So Many Earthquakes

The tectonic setting beneath New Zealand is unusually complex. In the North Island, the Pacific Plate is being pushed (subducted) beneath the Australian Plate along the Hikurangi Trench, which runs parallel to the east coast from the Wairarapa to East Cape and appears as the green line offshore on the map. This subduction zone is responsible for the deep earthquakes that appear as blue and dark circles, often at depths of 100 to 300 kilometres beneath the central North Island.

In the South Island, the situation reverses. The Australian Plate is being pushed beneath the Pacific Plate along the Puysegur Trench south of Fiordland. Between these two subduction zones, the plates grind past each other along the Alpine Fault, which runs for approximately 600 kilometres along the western edge of the Southern Alps and appears as the dashed brown line on the map. The Alpine Fault is one of the most significant geological features in New Zealand and is considered overdue for a major rupture. GNS Science estimates there is a 75 percent probability of an Alpine Fault earthquake of magnitude 8 or greater within the next 50 years — you can explore the detailed probability forecast on our Alpine Fault tool.

The Taupō Volcanic Zone in the central North Island adds another layer of seismic activity. This is a region of active rifting where the Earth’s crust is being pulled apart, producing both earthquakes and volcanic activity. The shallow earthquakes (shown in red on the map) in the Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, and Taupō regions are often associated with this volcanic rift system. The current alert level for each of New Zealand’s monitored volcanoes is shown in the panel near the top of this page.

How to Read the Earthquake Map

Magnitude

Earthquake magnitude measures the energy released. The scale is logarithmic, meaning each whole number increase represents roughly 32 times more energy. A magnitude 3 earthquake is barely felt. A magnitude 5 can cause minor damage. A magnitude 7 is a major earthquake capable of widespread destruction. On the map, larger circles indicate higher magnitude earthquakes. Use the magnitude filter above the map to hide smaller events and focus on significant ones.

Depth

Earthquake depth significantly affects how much shaking is felt at the surface. Shallow earthquakes (less than 30 kilometres deep, shown in red) tend to cause the strongest shaking relative to their magnitude because the energy has less distance to travel to the surface. Deep earthquakes (shown in blue and dark grey) may be powerful but are often felt over a wider area with less intense shaking at any single point.

New Zealand experiences earthquakes at all depths. The shallow earthquakes along the Alpine Fault and in the volcanic zone are typically less than 30 kilometres deep. The subduction zone earthquakes beneath the North Island can occur at depths exceeding 300 kilometres.

Volcanic Alert Levels

GeoNet monitors 12 volcanoes and volcanic fields across New Zealand. Alert levels run from 0 (no unrest) to 5 (major eruption). Level 1 indicates minor unrest, Level 2 is moderate to heightened unrest, Level 3 is a minor eruption, Level 4 is a moderate eruption, and Level 5 is a major eruption. The panel near the top of this page shows the current alert level for each monitored volcano, refreshed every few minutes from GeoNet.

New Zealand’s Earthquake History

New Zealand has experienced several devastating earthquakes in its recorded history. The 2011 Christchurch earthquake (magnitude 6.2) killed 185 people, destroyed much of the central city, and caused an estimated $40 billion in damage, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in the country’s history relative to GDP. The 2016 Kaikōura earthquake (magnitude 7.8) ruptured multiple faults simultaneously, lifted the seabed by up to two metres in places, triggered landslides that closed State Highway 1 and the Main North Line railway for months, and caused significant damage across the upper South Island and lower North Island.

The largest recorded earthquake in New Zealand’s history was the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake, estimated at magnitude 8.2, which uplifted land around Wellington Harbour by up to two metres and generated a tsunami. The 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake (magnitude 7.8) killed 256 people and destroyed the cities of Napier and Hastings.

These historical events underscore why earthquake monitoring matters. The GeoNet network provides continuous surveillance of seismic activity across the country, enabling rapid response when significant earthquakes occur and contributing to the scientific understanding of the geological forces shaping New Zealand.

About This Map

This earthquake map is provided by Newswire as a public resource for New Zealanders. It pulls data directly from the GeoNet API, which is operated by GNS Science and funded by the Earthquake Commission (EQC) and Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). Earthquake data refreshes every 60 seconds; volcano alert levels refresh every 5 minutes.

For official earthquake information, civil defence alerts, and scientific analysis, visit geonet.org.nz. For emergency preparedness advice, visit getready.govt.nz.

If you feel an earthquake, you can report it to GeoNet at felt.geonet.org.nz. Your reports help scientists understand the intensity of shaking in different locations.

Data sourced from GeoNet, operated by GNS Science. All times are in New Zealand time (NZST/NZDT).