Moderate magnitude 4.4 earthquake at 159 km depth27 Feb 11:02 UTC: First to report: GEONET (NZ) after 2 minutes.I didn't feel itI felt this quakeEarthquake detailsDate & timeFeb 27, 2026 10:59:56 UTC - Local time at epicenterFriday, Feb 27, 2026, at 10:59 am (Universal Time GMT +0)Statuspreliminary (automatic detection)Magnitude4.4Depth159 kmEpicenter latitude / longitude45.023°S / 167.1749°ENew ZealandSeismic antipode45.023°N / 12.825°WShaking intensityII Very weak shakingFelt0 reportsPrimary data sourceGEONET (NZ) (Earthquake Commission and Geological Survey, New Zealand)Nearest volcanoHautere (171 km / 106 mi)Estimated seismic energy released2.5 x 1011 joules (69.8 megawatt hours, equivalent to 60 tons of TNT) | equivalent to ONE quake of magnitude 4.4 | about seismic energy2 minutes agoFeb 27, 2026 10:59 GMT / Feb 27, 2026 10:59 am (Universal Time)Lat / Lng: -45.02297 / 167.17487: New ZealandSource: GEONET (NZ)Detail info | You felt it? - Report it!';storedMarkers.push(['quake-22757575',-45.02297,167.17487,'2 minutes ago: Mag. 4.4, New Zealand',html,'quakes-6-24.png',25,25,12,12,125]); function mkRep(id,notFelt){var nFelt=notFelt||false;var src="https://www.volcanoesandearthquakes.com/app/earthquake-report.php?quakeId="+id;if(nFelt==true){src+="¬Felt=true";}window.open(src,"","status=0,toolbar=0,location=0,directories=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,scrollbars=1,height=400,width=350");} function locationHashChanged(e){-1!=e.oldURL.indexOf("#popupMap")&&closePopup()} window.onhashchange = locationHashChanged; function comment(e){var t=e.parentNode,a=(t.dataset.id,document.getElementById("commentForm"));"none"==a.style.display?(t.appendChild(a),a.style.display="block"):a.style.display="none"}function sendComment(e){var t=e.parentNode,a=t.parentNode.dataset.id,n=document.getElementById("commentContent"),p=n.value.trim();if(p){var o="id="+a+"&quakeId="+thisQuakeId;o+="&comment="+decodeURIComponent(p),mkRequest("//reports.volcanodiscovery.com/app/eqReportComment.php","post",o,function(e){e.responseText;alert("Thank you for submitting your comment!"),t.style.display="none",n.value=""})}}function flagReport(e){var t=e.parentNode.dataset.id;if(confirm("Report this as inappropriate?")){var a="id="+t+"&quakeId="+thisQuakeId+"&flagAsInappropriate=1";mkRequest("//reports.volcanodiscovery.com/app/eqReportComment.php","post",a,function(t){var a=t.responseText;alert(a),e.style.display="none"})}}function likeReport(e){var t="id="+e.parentNode.dataset.id+"&quakeId="+thisQuakeId+"&like=1";mkRequest("//reports.volcanodiscovery.com/app/eqReportComment.php","post",t,function(t){t.responseText;e.style.opacity=.5})}]]>[smaller] [bigger]Most recent quakes Top 20 past 24 hrs Quakes in New ZealandNearby placesThe closest larger town where the quake might have been felt is Te Anau, a town with 2,900 inhabitants in New Zealand, in 61 km (38 mi) distance southeast of the epicenter. People likely experienced very weak shaking there. In the capital of New Zealand, Wellington, 743 km (462 mi) away from the epicenter, the earthquake could not be felt.The following table shows some of the places that might have been affected (or not) by the shaking.DistancePlaceMax. shaking intensity(*)RegionCountry61 km (38 mi)SE of epicenterTe Anau(pop: 2,910)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand70 km (43 mi)SE of epicenterManapouri(pop: 228)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand71 km (44 mi)NE of epicenterMilford Sound(pop: 435)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand97 km (60 mi)E of epicenterGlenorchy(pop: 318)II: Very weakQueenstown-Lakes District, OtagoNew Zealand110 km (69 mi)SE of epicenterMossburn(pop: 210)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand116 km (72 mi)SE of epicenterOhai(pop: 408)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand117 km (73 mi)E of epicenterQueenstown(pop: 10,400)II: Very weakOtagoNew Zealand126 km (78 mi)E of epicenterKingston(pop: 306)II: Very weakQueenstown-Lakes District, OtagoNew Zealand127 km (79 mi)SE of epicenterLumsden(pop: 463)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand129 km (80 mi)E of epicenterArrowtown(pop: 2,150)II: Very weakQueenstown-Lakes District, OtagoNew Zealand130 km (81 mi)S of epicenterTuatapere(pop: 558)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand141 km (88 mi)SE of epicenterOtautau(pop: 672)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand145 km (90 mi)E of epicenterCardrona(pop: 800)II: Very weakQueenstown-Lakes District, OtagoNew Zealand154 km (96 mi)SE of epicenterWinton(pop: 2,190)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand159 km (99 mi)E of epicenterCromwell(pop: 5,160)II: Very weakCentral Otago District, OtagoNew Zealand160 km (99 mi)E of epicenterWanaka(pop: 13,100)II: Very weakQueenstown-Lakes District, OtagoNew Zealand161 km (100 mi)SE of epicenterRiverton(pop: 1,680)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand168 km (104 mi)E of epicenterLuggate(pop: 474)II: Very weakQueenstown-Lakes District, OtagoNew Zealand171 km (106 mi)E of epicenterLake Hawea(pop: 2,190)II: Very weakQueenstown-Lakes District, OtagoNew Zealand174 km (108 mi)E of epicenterAlexandra(pop: 5,830)II: Very weakCentral Otago District, OtagoNew Zealand177 km (110 mi)E of epicenterRoxburgh(pop: 600)II: Very weakCentral Otago District, OtagoNew Zealand178 km (111 mi)SE of epicenterInvercargill(pop: 57,600)II: Very weakSouthlandNew Zealand183 km (114 mi)SE of epicenterGore(pop: 13,100)II: Very weakSouthlandNew Zealand183 km (114 mi)SE of epicenterMataura(pop: 1,680)II: Very weakGore District, SouthlandNew Zealand191 km (118 mi)SE of epicenterEdendale(pop: 588)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand196 km (122 mi)NE of epicenterHaast(pop: 279)II: Very weakWestland District, West CoastNew Zealand197 km (122 mi)SE of epicenterBluff(pop: 1,940)II: Very weakInvercargill, SouthlandNew Zealand215 km (134 mi)SE of epicenterClinton(pop: 282)II: Very weakClutha District, OtagoNew Zealand221 km (138 mi)S of epicenterHalf Moon Bay(pop: 387)II: Very weakSouthland District, SouthlandNew Zealand228 km (142 mi)E of epicenterOmarama(pop: 304)II: Very weakCanterburyNew Zealand230 km (143 mi)E of epicenterRanfurly(pop: 726)II: Very weakCentral Otago District, OtagoNew Zealand241 km (150 mi)SE of epicenterBalclutha(pop: 4,440)II: Very weakClutha District, OtagoNew Zealand247 km (153 mi)E of epicenterTwizel(pop: 1,780)I: Not feltMackenzie District, CanterburyNew Zealand247 km (153 mi)SE of epicenterPapatowai(pop: 6,590)I: Not feltClutha District, OtagoNew Zealand249 km (155 mi)SE of epicenterMilton(pop: 2,010)I: Not feltClutha District, OtagoNew Zealand250 km (155 mi)SE of epicenterOwaka(pop: 303)I: Not feltClutha District, OtagoNew Zealand254 km (158 mi)SE of epicenterWaihola(pop: 370)I: Not feltClutha District, OtagoNew Zealand265 km (165 mi)NE of epicenterGlentanner(pop: 250)I: Not feltMackenzie District, CanterburyNew Zealand278 km (173 mi)NE of epicenterWaikowhai(pop: 5,550)I: Not feltWestland District, West CoastNew Zealand743 km (462 mi)NE of epicenterWellington(pop: 381,900): Not feltWellingtonNew ZealandNotes:(*) Shaking intensity according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI) and estimated using seismic models.User-reports for this quakeThere are no user reports for this quake yet.If you felt it, be the first to report it!Get the Android appCompare Quake DataData for the same earthquake as reported by different agenciesThe more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.MagDepthTime GMT2026-02-27EpicenterAgency4.4159 km98 mi10:59:56New ZealandGEONET (NZ) (Earthquake Commission and Geological Survey, New Zealand)Aftershocks for this quakeNo aftershocks have been recorded so far. When aftershocks are detected, we will update this section.What are aftershocks?Larger earthquakes (above magnitude 5 or so) such as this one are usually followed by smaller ones known as aftershocks that occur in the same area during the days, weeks, months or even years after the main shock.[More info]What about this quake?Based on its magnitude, the fault that was active during the quake likely ruptured beneath a surface area of approximately 3 km2 (1 square miles) as a first-order estimate. The length of the rupture zone thus was probably around 3 km (2 mi).[More info]Recorded aftershocks, latest first (0 quake)Feb 27, 2026 10:59 am (Universal Time)2 minutes ago4.4159 km0 km - This quakeNew ZealandMain Shock (this quake)MoreMap of aftershocksEarthquake statisticsAverage number of earthquakesBased on data from the past 26 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 476 quakes on average per year in the area near the epicenter of this quake (within 100 km/61 mi):Mag. 7 or higher: 0.04 quakes per year (or 1 quake every 25 years)Mag. 6 or higher: 0.16 quakes per year (or 1 quake every 6.3 years)Mag. 5 or higher: 2.8 quakes per yearMag. 4 or higher: 17.1 quakes per yearMag. 3 or higher: 113 quakes per year (or 9.4 quakes per month)Mag. 2 or higher: 422 quakes per year (or 35.2 quakes per month)Mag. 1 or higher: 476 quakes per year (or 39.7 quakes per month)The area where this quake occurred has a very high level of seismic activity. It has had at least 5 quakes above magnitude 7 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 25 to 30 years.Number of quakes per yearPrevious quakes in the same area of this earthquake