EMSC · September 19, 2026
Magnitude 3.2 earthquake near Paraparaumu, New Zealand
A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was recorded near 22 km SE of Raumati Beach, New Zealand on Sep 19, 2026, 06:41 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12), at a depth of about 31.2 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-18 19:46 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.2 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 22 km SE of Raumati Beach, New Zealand
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 19, 2026, 06:41 AM — UTC+12
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-18 18:41 UTC
- Depth
- 31.2 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -40.776, 174.804
- 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 60,796 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 1,369,733 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Raumati Beach | 21.7 km SE | 5,390 |
| Paraparaumu | 23.8 km SE | 29,900 |
| Waikanae | 25.1 km ESE | 13,600 |
| Paekakariki | 26.5 km SSE | 1,730 |
| Otaki Beach | 26.5 km E | 2,120 |
| Otaki | 29.2 km E | 6,086 |
| Pukerua Bay | 29.7 km SSE | 1,970 |
| Plimmerton | 34.5 km S | 2,130 |
| Camborne | 35.1 km S | 2,040 |
| Titahi Bay | 36.1 km S | 6,810 |
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
8 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 4.9 69 km SSW of Patea, New ZealandFelt · 12
M 3.1 7 km ESE of Paekakariki, New Zealand
M 4.6 28 km NW of Raumati Beach, New ZealandFelt · 27
M 3.2 21 km NNE of Whanganui, New Zealand
M 3.2 10 km ENE of Owhiro Bay, New Zealand
M 3.0 21 km NNE of Patea, New Zealand
M 3.2 29 km WSW of Kopuaranga, New Zealand
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 22 km SE of Raumati Beach, New Zealand
SeismoWatch pushes a notification to your Android phone within minutes of a matching earthquake — for the area and magnitude you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 22 km SE of Raumati Beach, New Zealand earthquake?
Magnitude 3.2 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 31.2 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?
Sep 19, 2026, 06:41 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12). In universal time: 2026-09-18 18:41 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 Raumati Beach, 21.7 km SE (population 5,390).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 6.5 (92 km SSW of Blenheim, New Zealand, 2016), and 8 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), 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.