EMSC · October 2, 2026
Magnitude 3.2 earthquake near Pauanui, New Zealand
A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was recorded near NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND on Oct 2, 2026, 08:50 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+13), at a depth of about 380.0 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCDeep (over 300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-01 21:36 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.2 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 2, 2026, 08:50 AM — UTC+13
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-01 19:50 UTC
- Depth
- 380.0 km · Deep (over 300 km)
- Coordinates
- -37.058, 176.701
- 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 250,781 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Pauanui | 74.2 km W | 1,070 |
| Whangamata | 75.6 km WSW | 4,270 |
| Tairua | 75.7 km W | 1,588 |
| Waihi Beach | 77.9 km WSW | 2,670 |
| Mount Maunganui | 79.2 km SW | 7,250 |
| Maketu | 81.8 km SSW | 1,410 |
| Tauranga | 84.3 km SW | 161,000 |
| Otumoetai | 84.4 km SW | 8,620 |
| Waihi | 84.9 km WSW | 4,619 |
| Judea | 86.2 km SW | 4,990 |
Earthquake history in this area
10 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in New Zealand.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
16 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.7 10 km SSW of Whakatane, New Zealand
M 3.2 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 4.1 28 km NNE of Whakatane, New Zealand
M 4.0 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.2 8 km NNW of Maketu, New Zealand
M 3.3 2 km NNW of Te Puke, New Zealand
M 3.0 NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
M 3.2 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.3 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND earthquake?
Magnitude 3.2 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 380.0 km. Very deep earthquakes are rarely damaging at the surface, though they can be felt hundreds of kilometres away.
Exactly when did it happen?
Oct 2, 2026, 08:50 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+13). In universal time: 2026-10-01 19:50 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, 74.2 km W (population 1,070).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.1 (118 km NNE of Gisborne, New Zealand, 1995), and 16 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.