EMSC · August 31, 2026
Magnitude 3.1 earthquake — 19 km WSW of Eltham, New Zealand
A magnitude 3.1 earthquake was recorded near 19 km WSW of Eltham, New Zealand on Aug 31, 2026, 09:15 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12), at a depth of about 127.3 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:15 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.1 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 19 km WSW of Eltham, New Zealand
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 31, 2026, 09:15 PM — UTC+12
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-31 09:15 UTC
- Depth
- 127.3 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -39.370, 174.504
- 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 9,650 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 241,403 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Eltham | 18.7 km WSW | 2,150 |
| Stratford | 19.3 km W | 6,430 |
| Normanby | 26.2 km SW | 1,070 |
| Hawera | 31.1 km SW | 10,700 |
| Inglewood | 36.5 km NW | 3,960 |
| Manaia | 37.6 km WSW | 1,070 |
| Patea | 43.2 km S | 1,286 |
| Mangorei | 43.7 km NW | 2,310 |
| Waitara | 46.9 km NNW | 7,730 |
| Bell Block | 48.3 km NW | 8,260 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in New Zealand.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
12 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.5 12 km WNW of Stratford, New Zealand
M 3.0 2 km N of Eltham, New Zealand
M 3.2 16 km NNE of Taumarunui, New Zealand
M 3.0 37 km NE of Opunake, New Zealand
M 3.0 21 km NNE of Patea, New Zealand
M 3.0 45 km NNE of Manaia, New Zealand
M 3.1 13 km W of Eltham, New Zealand
M 3.5 22 km SE of Taihape, New Zealand
M 4.6 43 km WNW of Turangi, New Zealand
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 19 km WSW of Eltham, New Zealand earthquake?
Magnitude 3.1 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 127.3 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 31, 2026, 09:15 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12). In universal time: 2026-08-31 09:15 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 Eltham, 18.7 km WSW (population 2,150).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 6.4 (39 km E of Palmerston North, New Zealand, 1990), and 12 further events were recorded within 100 km 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.