USGS · October 3, 2026
Magnitude 5.0 earthquake near New Plymouth, New Zealand
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake was recorded near 6 km E of Inglewood, New Zealand on Oct 3, 2026, 02:57 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+13), at a depth of about 10.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSShaking VPAGER GreenShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-02 15:36 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 5.0 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- 6 km E of Inglewood, New Zealand
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 3, 2026, 02:57 AM — UTC+13
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-02 13:57 UTC
- Depth
- 10.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -39.160, 174.260
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Estimated shaking
- V · Moderate
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 385 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 23 seismic stations used · 107° 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
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Estimated instrumental shaking V (Moderate): Felt by nearly everyone; unstable objects overturn and some plaster cracks.
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 159,390 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 186,463 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Inglewood | 6.9 km W | 3,960 |
| Mangorei | 15.3 km W | 2,310 |
| Bell Block | 17.0 km NW | 8,260 |
| Merrilands | 17.3 km NW | 3,110 |
| Welbourn | 17.5 km WNW | 3,640 |
| Waitara | 17.7 km N | 7,730 |
| Vogeltown | 18.0 km WNW | 6,140 |
| New Plymouth | 18.4 km NW | 90,100 |
| Fitzroy | 18.4 km NW | 3,650 |
| Frankleigh Park | 19.5 km WNW | 3,570 |
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 3.6 44 km ENE of Taumarunui, New Zealand
M 3.1 40 km WSW of Waitara, New Zealand
M 3.1 21 km ENE of Manaia, New Zealand
M 3.2 32 km SSE of Raetihi, New Zealand
M 3.4 11 km W of Eltham, New Zealand
M 3.4 48 km ESE of Oakura, New Zealand
M 4.0 12 km N of Taumarunui, New Zealand
M 3.9 12 km N of Rahotu, New ZealandFelt · 1
M 3.3 9 km WSW of Rahotu, New Zealand
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 6 km E of Inglewood, New Zealand earthquake?
Magnitude 5.0 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 10.0 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?
Oct 3, 2026, 02:57 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+13). In universal time: 2026-10-02 13:57 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Felt by nearly everyone; unstable objects overturn and some plaster cracks.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Inglewood, 6.9 km W (population 3,960).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 6.4 (39 km E of Palmerston North, New Zealand, 1990), 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), 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.