EMSC · August 2, 2026
Magnitude 3.2 earthquake near Hicks Bay, New Zealand
A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was recorded near 21 km NW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand on Aug 2, 2026, 09:07 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12), at a depth of about 38.5 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-18 14:21 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.2 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 21 km NW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 2, 2026, 09:07 PM — UTC+12
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-02 09:07 UTC
- Depth
- 38.5 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -37.720, 178.479
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- EMSC (Centro Sismológico Euromediterráneo)
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
Who lives nearby
About 1,389 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 1,389 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Hicks Bay | 20.7 km NW | 1,389 |
Earthquake history in this area
No earthquake of magnitude 4.5+ has been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in New Zealand.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
14 other events within 100 km in the 30 days around this earthquake.
M 3.0 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.3 22 km SW of Mangapapa, New Zealand
M 4.8 45 km ESE of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
M 3.3 52 km N of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
M 3.0 43 km WNW of Opotiki, New Zealand
M 4.9 51 km N of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
M 3.2 13 km N of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
M 5.6 18 km NW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
M 3.2 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 21 km NW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand earthquake?
Magnitude 3.2 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 38.5 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Aug 2, 2026, 09:07 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12). In universal time: 2026-08-02 09:07 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Small earthquakes usually pass unnoticed except very close to the epicentre.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Hicks Bay, 20.7 km NW (population 1,389).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
14 further events were recorded within 100 km of the epicentre in the 30 days around it.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), in Venezuela FUNVISIS and in Brazil the RSBR through the Centro de Sismologia da USP. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.