Moderate magnitude 4.2 earthquake at 204 km depth3 Aug 13:01 UTC: First to report: GEONET (NZ) after 2 minutes.3 Aug 13:02: Magnitude recalculated from 2.9 to 3.0.3 Aug 13:07: Magnitude recalculated from 3.0 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 85.70 to 204.40 km (from 53 to 127 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 239 km (149 mi) towards NNE.3 Aug 13:07: Now using data updates from EMSCI didn't feel itI felt this quakeEarthquake detailsDate & timeAug 3, 2026 12:58:59 UTC - Local time at epicenterTuesday, Aug 4, 2026, at 12:58 am (GMT +12)StatusconfirmedMagnitude4.20Depth204 kmEpicenter latitude / longitude34.9219°S / 178.6532°ENew ZealandSeismic antipode34.9219°N / 1.347°WAlgeriaShaking intensityII Very weak shakingFelt0 reportsPrimary data sourceEMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)Nearest volcanoGiljanes (18 km / 11 mi)Weather at epicenter at time of quakeClear Sky 15°C (59 F), humidity: 67%, wind: 12 m/s (23 kts) from WSWEstimated seismic energy released1.3 x 1011 joules (35 megawatt hours, equivalent to 30.1 tons of TNT) | equivalent to ONE quake of magnitude 4.2 | about seismic energy11 minutes agoAug 3, 2026 12:58 GMT / Aug 4, 2026 12:58 am (GMT +12)Lat / Lng: -34.9219 / 178.6532: New Zealand: South OF Kermadec IslandsSource: EMSCOther sources: GEONET (NZ): 4.2 / 204 kmDetail info | You felt it? - Report it!';storedMarkers.push(['quake-23240862',-34.92190,178.65320,'11 minutes ago: Mag. 4.2, New Zealand: South OF Kermadec Islands',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 Hicks Bay, a town with 1,400 inhabitants in New Zealand, in 300 km (186 mi) distance to the south, but it is unlikely that the quake was felt there. DistancePlaceMax. shaking intensity(*)RegionCountry300 km (186 mi)S of epicenterHicks Bay(pop: 1,390)I: Not feltGisborne District, GisborneNew Zealand325 km (202 mi)S of epicenterTe Kaha(pop: 387)I: Not feltOpotiki District, Bay of PlentyNew Zealand337 km (209 mi)SW of epicenterMatarangi(pop: 390)I: Not feltThames-Coromandel District, WaikatoNew Zealand341 km (212 mi)SW of epicenterWhitianga(pop: 6,230)I: Not feltThames-Coromandel District, WaikatoNew Zealand343 km (213 mi)SW of epicenterTairua(pop: 1,590)I: Not feltThames-Coromandel District, WaikatoNew Zealand345 km (214 mi)SW of epicenterColville(pop: 1,490)I: Not feltThames-Coromandel District, WaikatoNew Zealand351 km (218 mi)SW of epicenterCoromandel(pop: 1,790)I: Not feltWaikatoNew Zealand356 km (221 mi)SW of epicenterWhangamata(pop: 4,270)I: Not feltThames-Coromandel District, WaikatoNew Zealand368 km (229 mi)SW of epicenterTe Puru(pop: 846)I: Not feltThames-Coromandel District, WaikatoNew Zealand373 km (232 mi)SW of epicenterWaihi(pop: 4,620)I: Not feltHauraki District, WaikatoNew Zealand373 km (232 mi)SW of epicenterMaketu(pop: 1,410)I: Not feltWestern Bay of Plenty District, Bay of PlentyNew Zealand373 km (232 mi)SW of epicenterThames(pop: 7,140)I: Not feltWaikatoNew Zealand380 km (236 mi)SW of epicenterTauranga(pop: 155,200)I: Not feltBay of PlentyNew Zealand380 km (236 mi)SW of epicenterTe Puke(pop: 10,500)I: Not feltWestern Bay of Plenty District, Bay of PlentyNew Zealand382 km (237 mi)SW of epicenterOrere Point(pop: 345)I: Not feltAuckland, AucklandNew Zealand382 km (237 mi)SW of epicenterKatikati(pop: 6,000)I: Not feltWestern Bay of Plenty District, Bay of PlentyNew Zealand382 km (237 mi)SW of epicenterPaeroa(pop: 3,990)I: Not feltHauraki District, WaikatoNew Zealand383 km (238 mi)SW of epicenterOmokoroa(pop: 5,990)I: Not feltWestern Bay of Plenty District, Bay of PlentyNew Zealand386 km (240 mi)SW of epicenterNgatea(pop: 1,150)I: Not feltHauraki District, WaikatoNew Zealand392 km (244 mi)SW of epicenterTe Aroha(pop: 4,700)I: Not feltMatamata-Piako District, WaikatoNew Zealand402 km (250 mi)SW of epicenterMaramarua(pop: 1,770)I: Not feltWaikato District, WaikatoNew Zealand404 km (251 mi)SW of epicenterWaitoa(pop: 1,170)I: Not feltMatamata-Piako District, WaikatoNew Zealand409 km (254 mi)SW of epicenterWaharoa(pop: 1,520)I: Not feltMatamata-Piako District, WaikatoNew Zealand413 km (257 mi)SW of epicenterMorrinsville(pop: 9,710)I: Not feltMatamata-Piako District, WaikatoNew Zealand418 km (260 mi)SW of epicenterTe Kauwhata(pop: 3,740)I: Not feltWaikato District, WaikatoNew Zealand429 km (267 mi)SW of epicenterHuntly(pop: 8,850)I: Not feltWaikato District, WaikatoNew Zealand438 km (272 mi)SW of epicenterNgaruawahia(pop: 8,500)I: Not feltWaikato District, WaikatoNew Zealand439 km (273 mi)SW of epicenterHamilton(pop: 189,700)I: Not feltWaikatoNew Zealand785 km (488 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 GMT2026-08-3EpicenterAgency4.2204 km127 mi12:58:59.579SOUTH OF KERMADEC ISLANDSEMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)4.2204 km127 mi12:58:59New Zealand0 km (0 mi) epicenter difference with EMSCGEONET (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 2 km2 (1 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)Aug 4, 2026 12:58 am (GMT +12)11 minutes ago4.2204 km0 km - This quakeNew Zealand: South OF Kermadec IslandsMain 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 170 quakes on average per year in the area near the epicenter of this quake (within 100 km/61 mi):Mag. 6 or higher: 0.03 quakes per year (or 1 quake every 31.3 years)Mag. 5 or higher: 1.2 quakes per yearMag. 4 or higher: 29.4 quakes per yearMag. 3 or higher: 154 quakes per year (or 12.9 quakes per month)Mag. 2 or higher: 169 quakes per year (or 14.1 quakes per month)The area where this quake occurred has a high level of seismic activity. It has had at least 4 quakes above magnitude 6 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 30 to 35 years.Number of quakes per yearPrevious quakes in the same area of this earthquake