EMSC · October 12, 2026
Magnitude 3.0 earthquake near Tauranga, New Zealand
A magnitude 3.0 earthquake was recorded near 15 km ESE of Oropi, New Zealand on Oct 12, 2026, 02:23 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+13), at a depth of about 311.4 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCDeep (over 300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-11 14:37 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.0 · m
- Location
- 15 km ESE of Oropi, New Zealand
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 12, 2026, 02:23 AM — UTC+13
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-11 13:23 UTC
- Depth
- 311.4 km · Deep (over 300 km)
- Coordinates
- -37.809, 175.998
- 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 234,374 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 742,389 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Oropi | 14.7 km ESE | 2,520 |
| Greerton | 15.1 km NE | 4,590 |
| Bethlehem | 16.0 km NE | 9,270 |
| Gate Pa | 16.1 km NE | 4,200 |
| Judea | 18.0 km NE | 4,990 |
| Omokoroa | 18.1 km N | 5,990 |
| Otumoetai | 19.6 km NE | 8,620 |
| Tauranga | 20.2 km NE | 161,000 |
| Matamata | 20.7 km W | 6,306 |
| Waharoa | 20.8 km WNW | 1,521 |
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
13 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.4 19 km NNW of Raglan, New Zealand
M 3.5 1 km ENE of Kaharoa, New Zealand
M 3.1 14 km WNW of Putaruru, New Zealand
M 3.7 10 km SSW of Whakatane, New Zealand
M 4.0 32 km N of Whakatane, New Zealand
M 4.0 5 km NE of Kaharoa, New Zealand
M 3.3 28 km ESE of Acacia Bay, New Zealand
M 3.2 15 km N of Utuhina, New Zealand
M 3.2 8 km NNW of Maketu, New Zealand
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 15 km ESE of Oropi, New Zealand earthquake?
Magnitude 3.0 (m), at a depth of 311.4 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 12, 2026, 02:23 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+13). In universal time: 2026-10-11 13:23 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 Oropi, 14.7 km ESE (population 2,520).
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 13 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.