USGS · August 10, 2026
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake — 45 km WNW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake was recorded near 45 km WNW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand on Aug 10, 2026, 07:17 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12), at a depth of about 72.8 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)Intermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:47 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.8 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- 45 km WNW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 10, 2026, 07:17 PM — UTC+12
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-10 07:17 UTC
- Depth
- 72.8 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -37.417, 177.845
- Felt reports
- Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 355 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 39 seismic stations used · 138° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
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.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 28,141 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Hicks Bay | 45.0 km ESE | 1,389 |
| Opotiki | 82.1 km SW | 4,900 |
| Ohope Beach | 91.8 km SW | 3,250 |
| Whakatane | 96.7 km SW | 18,602 |
Earthquake history in this area
No earthquake of magnitude 4.5+ has been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in New Zealand.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
26 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.1 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.2 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.2 32 km SSW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
M 3.4 31 km SW of Opotiki, New Zealand
M 4.5 109 km NW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
M 3.1 NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
M 4.3 17 km N of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
M 3.0 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.4 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 45 km WNW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand earthquake?
Magnitude 4.8 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 72.8 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 10, 2026, 07:17 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12). In universal time: 2026-08-10 07:17 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Hicks Bay, 45.0 km ESE (population 1,389).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
26 further events were recorded within 100 km of the epicentre 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.