EMSC · August 17, 2026
Magnitude 3.8 earthquake — 14 km S of Taumarunui, New Zealand
A magnitude 3.8 earthquake was recorded near 14 km S of Taumarunui, New Zealand on Aug 17, 2026, 12:45 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12), at a depth of about 213.7 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-03 12:16 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.8 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 14 km S of Taumarunui, New Zealand
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 17, 2026, 12:45 AM — UTC+12
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-16 12:45 UTC
- Depth
- 213.7 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -38.751, 175.234
- 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
At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
Who lives nearby
About 4,950 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 123,447 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Taumarunui | 14.3 km S | 4,950 |
| Te Kuiti | 46.5 km N | 4,890 |
| Turangi | 56.4 km ESE | 3,960 |
| Otorohanga | 63.2 km N | 3,280 |
| Acacia Bay | 69.3 km E | 1,870 |
| Taupo | 74.0 km E | 27,000 |
| Ohakune | 74.4 km S | 1,570 |
| Raetihi | 75.4 km S | 1,130 |
| Tokoroa | 79.7 km NE | 14,500 |
| Kihikihi | 80.5 km N | 3,760 |
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
10 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.1 19 km WSW of Eltham, New Zealand
M 3.5 12 km WNW of Stratford, New Zealand
M 3.2 16 km NNE of Taumarunui, New Zealand
M 3.5 22 km SE of Taihape, New Zealand
M 4.6 43 km WNW of Turangi, New Zealand
M 3.1 14 km NNW of Tokoroa, New Zealand
M 3.1 33 km SSW of Taihape, New Zealand
M 3.2 16 km WNW of Cambridge, New Zealand
M 3.2 24 km WNW of Te Kuiti, New Zealand
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 14 km S of Taumarunui, New Zealand earthquake?
Magnitude 3.8 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 213.7 km. At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Exactly when did it happen?
Aug 17, 2026, 12:45 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12). In universal time: 2026-08-16 12:45 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 Taumarunui, 14.3 km S (population 4,950).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
10 further events were recorded within 100 km of the epicentre in the last 30 days.
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) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.