Moderate magnitude 4.0 earthquake at 400 km depth4 Mar 06:32 UTC: First to report: GEONET (NZ) after 4 minutes.4 Mar 06:34: Magnitude recalculated from 3.1 to 4.1. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 10.00 to 400.00 km (from 6.2 to 249 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 299 km (186 mi) towards NNE.4 Mar 06:36: Magnitude recalculated from 4.1 to 4.0. Epicenter location corrected by 18 km (11 mi) towards E.I didn't feel itI felt this quakeEarthquake detailsDate & timeMar 4, 2026 06:28:29 UTC - Local time at epicenterWednesday, Mar 4, 2026, at 06:28 pm (GMT +12)Statuspreliminary (automatic detection)Magnitude4.0Depth400 kmEpicenter latitude / longitude33.2093°S / 179.5402°ENew ZealandSeismic antipode33.2093°N / 0.46°WMoroccoShaking intensityNot feltPrimary data sourceGEONET (NZ) (Earthquake Commission and Geological Survey, New Zealand)Nearest volcanoCole (44 km / 27 mi)Weather at epicenter at time of quakeScattered Clouds 17.3°C (63 F), humidity: 59%, wind: 3 m/s (6 kts) from SSEEstimated seismic energy released6.3 x 1010 joules (17.5 megawatt hours, equivalent to 15.1 tons of TNT) | equivalent to ONE quake of magnitude 4.0 | about seismic energy12 minutes agoMar 4, 2026 06:28 GMT / Mar 4, 2026 06:28 pm (GMT +12)Lat / Lng: -33.2093 / 179.54021: New ZealandSource: GEONET (NZ)Detail info | You felt it? - Report it!';storedMarkers.push(['quake-22772187',-33.20930,179.54021,'12 minutes ago: Mag. 4.0, 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 near the epicenter is Wellington, the capital of New Zealand with 380,000 inhabitants, in 992 km (616 mi) distance to the southwest, but it is unlikely that the quake was felt there. DistancePlaceMax. shaking intensity(*)RegionCountry992 km (616 mi)SW 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 GMT2026-03-4EpicenterAgency4.0400 km249 mi06:28:29New 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 1 km2 (0 square miles) as a first-order estimate. The length of the rupture zone thus was probably around 2 km (1 mi).[More info]Recorded aftershocks, latest first (0 quake)Mar 4, 2026 06:28 pm (GMT +12)12 minutes ago4.0400 km0 km - This quakeSouth Pacific Ocean, New ZealandMain Shock (this quake)MoreMap of aftershocksEarthquake statisticsAverage number of earthquakesBased on data from the past 56 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 85 quakes on average per year in the area near the epicenter of this quake (within 100 km/61 mi):Mag. 6 or higher: 0.06 quakes per year (or 1 quake every 18.2 years)Mag. 5 or higher: 1.43 quakes per yearMag. 4 or higher: 44 quakes per year (or 3.6 quakes per month)Mag. 3 or higher: 84 quakes per year (or 7 quakes per month)Mag. 2 or higher: 85 quakes per year (or 7.1 quakes per month)The area where this quake occurred has a high level of seismic activity. It has had at least 7 quakes above magnitude 6 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 15 to 20 years.Number of quakes per yearPrevious quakes in the same area of this earthquakeThe earthquake occurred 9 weeks after a magnitude 4.2 earthquake had hit on Sunday, Jan 4, 2026, at 01:06 am (GMT +12 local time) in 87 km (54 mi) distance to the south:Mag. 4.2 earthquake South Pacific Ocean - Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand - Jan 4, 2026 - The largest quake near the epicenter of this quake during the 10 years before was an event of magnitude 6.2. It had occurred 4 years earlier, on Monday, Jan 10, 2022, at 12:06 pm (GMT +12 local time) in South Pacific Ocean, n/a:Mag. 6.2 earthquake South Pacific Ocean - Jan 10, 2022 - The strongest-ever (since 1900) recorded quake in this area measured magnitude 7.4. It had occurred 65 years ago earlier, on Monday, Jun 19, 1961, at 01:55 am (GMT +12 local time) in South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand:Mag. 7.4 earthquake South Pacific Ocean - 337 km southwest of Raoul Island, New Zealand - Jun 19, 1961 - Below is a list and map of larger or recent quakes that had occurred near the epicenter before this earthquake (within up to 100 km/61 mi distance, up to 300 km/183 mi for very large quakes above mag. 7). Filter and sort the list by magnitude or time.Max results102050100AllMagnitudeAll2+3+4+5+6+7+8+Time before48 hours1 week30 days1 year5 years30 yearsAny ageDate and TimeMagDepthDistanceLocationDetailsMapJan 4, 01:06 am (GMT +12)4.2100 km87 km (54 mi) to the SSouth Pacific Ocean, Manawatu-Wanganui, New ZealandInfoNov 15, 2025 02:58 pm (GMT +12)4.0100 km97 km (60 mi) to the S New Zealand 1 reportInfoNov 4, 2025 06:55 pm (GMT +12)4.0100 km42 km (26 mi) to the NE New ZealandInfoOct 28, 2025 03:49 pm (GMT +12)4.0421 km75 km (47 mi) to the NE New ZealandInfoOct 13, 2025 05:08 am (GMT +12)4.3100 km68 km (42 mi) to the N New ZealandInfoJan 10, 2022 06:26 pm (GMT +12)5.310 km62 km (39 mi) to the S South of the Kermadec IslandsInfoJan 10, 2022 12:08 pm (GMT +12)5.310 km69 km (43 mi) to the SE South of the Kermadec IslandsInfoJan 10, 2022 12:06 pm (GMT +12)6.27 km64 km (40 mi) to the SSouth Pacific Ocean 1 reportInfoSep 3, 2019 10:15 pm (GMT +12)5.333 km90 km (56 mi) to the N New ZealandInfoSep 9, 2018 01:53 pm (GMT +12)5.712 km87 km (54 mi) to the N New ZealandInfoMar 29, 2016 11:03 pm (GMT +12)5.3226 km9.4 km (5.9 mi) to the NE South of Kermadec IslandsInfoJun 15, 2013 11:20 pm (GMT +12)6.0195 km73 km (45 mi) to the S South of The Kermadec IslandsInfoAug 1, 2012 09:30 pm (GMT +12)5.333 km55 km (34 mi) to the N South of Kermadec IslandsInfoJun 18, 2010 01:06 am (GMT +12)6.0170 km17 km (10.7 mi) to the ESouth Pacific Ocean, New ZealandInfoJun 11, 2008 02:30 pm (GMT +12)5.522 km41 km (25 mi) to the SESouth Pacific Ocean, New ZealandInfoMar 28, 2008 06:39 pm (GMT +12)5.7365 km40 km (25 mi) to the NW South of The Kermadec IslandsInfoAug 10, 2007 10:11 pm (GMT +12)5.3282 km81 km (50 mi) to the N South of The Kermadec IslandsInfoMay 26, 1997 11:22 am (GMT +12)7.1333 km124 km (77 mi) to the NSouth Pacific Ocean, 385 km southwest of Raoul Island, New ZealandInfoDec 29, 1994 10:23 am (GMT +12)5.754 km41 km (25 mi) to the NESouth Pacific Ocean, 538 km northeast of Cuvier Island, Waikato, New ZealandInfoMay 20, 1990 09:53 pm (GMT +12)6.1346 km79 km (49 mi) to the N South of The Kermadec IslandsInfoOct 11, 1984 08:21 pm (GMT +12)5.7135 km89 km (56 mi) to the SSouth Pacific Ocean, 450 km northeast of Cuvier Island, Waikato, New ZealandInfoMay 5, 1983 04:43 pm (GMT +12)5.725 km74 km (46 mi) to the SSouth Pacific Ocean, 454 km northeast of Cuvier Island, Waikato, New ZealandInfoDec 9, 1977 06:15 am (GMT +12)5.6473 km63 km (39 mi) to the N South of Kermadec IslandsInfoMar 22, 1977 02:23 pm (GMT +12)5.6336 km60 km (37 mi) to the SWSouth Pacific Ocean, 437 km northeast of Cuvier Island, Waikato, New ZealandInfoNov 22, 1976 04:41 pm (GMT +12)5.6434 km91 km (57 mi) to the NW South of Kermadec IslandsInfoOct 31, 1976 01:27 am (GMT +12)5.7466 km46 km (28 mi) to the NE South of Kermadec IslandsInfoOct 9, 1972 12:04 pm (GMT +12)5.7419 km75 km (46 mi) to the N South of Kermadec IslandsInfoJun 13, 1971 01:12 am (GMT +12)5.6337 km81 km (51 mi) to the NW South of Kermadec IslandsInfoAug 2, 1967 07:18 am (GMT +12)6.1209 km27 km (17 mi) to the NE South of Kermadec IslandsInfoMay 12, 1967 11:49 am (GMT +12)5.4266 km33 km (20 mi) to the S South of Kermadec IslandsInfoJan 16, 1967 07:48 pm (GMT +12)5.4351 km39 km (24 mi) to the SW South of Kermadec IslandsInfoJul 22, 1964 12:07 pm (GMT +12)5.4300 km55 km (34 mi) to the SW South of Kermadec IslandsInfoOct 2, 1961 07:02 pm (GMT +12)6.020 km78 km (48 mi) to the S South of The Kermadec IslandsInfoJun 19, 1961 01:55 am (GMT +12)7.4397 km192 km (119 mi) to the NSouth Pacific Ocean, 337 km southwest of Raoul Island, New ZealandInfoAug 7, 1960 01:55 am (GMT +12)5.7393 km79 km (49 mi) to the N South of Kermadec IslandsInfoSep 17, 1936 05:14 pm (Universal Time)5.715 km44 km (27 mi) to the SW South of The Kermadec IslandsInfoMar 23, 1928 08:02 pm (Universal Time)6.115 km14 km (8.6 mi) to the SE South of The Kermadec IslandsInfoMap of earlier quakes in the area of this quakeMax results102050100AllMagnitudeAll2+3+4+5+6+7+8+Time before48 hours1 week30 days1 year5 years30 yearsAny ageOldest quakes are shown in yellow, most recent in red.[quakes -][quakes +][smaller][bigger]