EMSC · September 6, 2026
Magnitude 3.2 earthquake — 43 km SW of Pauanui, New Zealand
A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was recorded near 43 km SW of Pauanui, New Zealand on Sep 6, 2026, 02:18 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12), at a depth of about 362.5 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCDeep (over 300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-05 15:44 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.2 · m
- Location
- 43 km SW of Pauanui, New Zealand
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 6, 2026, 02:18 AM — UTC+12
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-05 14:18 UTC
- Depth
- 362.5 km · Deep (over 300 km)
- Coordinates
- -36.710, 176.160
- 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
Very deep earthquakes are rarely damaging at the surface, though they can be felt hundreds of kilometres away.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
Who lives nearby
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 46,693 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Pauanui | 43.0 km SW | 1,070 |
| Whitianga | 43.2 km WSW | 6,230 |
| Tairua | 43.9 km SW | 1,588 |
| Coromandel | 59.4 km W | 1,780 |
| Whangamata | 60.4 km SSW | 4,270 |
| Colville | 62.4 km W | 1,485 |
| Thames | 72.9 km SW | 7,136 |
| Waihi Beach | 79.4 km SSW | 2,670 |
| Waihi | 80.3 km SSW | 4,619 |
| Paeroa | 85.2 km SSW | 3,994 |
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
10 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.4 37 km WSW of Whangamata, New Zealand
M 3.1 NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
M 3.5 NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
M 4.3 14 km SSW of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
M 3.1 19 km SW of Waihi Beach, New Zealand
M 3.9 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.3 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 4.0 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.4 55 km SSW of Maketu, New Zealand
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 43 km SW of Pauanui, New Zealand earthquake?
Magnitude 3.2 (m), at a depth of 362.5 km. Very deep earthquakes are rarely damaging at the surface, though they can be felt hundreds of kilometres away.
Exactly when did it happen?
Sep 6, 2026, 02:18 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12). In universal time: 2026-09-05 14:18 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 Pauanui, 43.0 km SW (population 1,070).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 6.8 (150 km N of Opotiki, New Zealand, 1984), and 10 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.