USGS · August 28, 2026
Magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Hicks Bay, New Zealand
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake was recorded near 5 km S of Hicks Bay, New Zealand on Aug 28, 2026, 05:08 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12), at a depth of about 55.2 km, according to USGS.
USGSShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-24 14:23 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.5 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- 5 km S of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 28, 2026, 05:08 PM — UTC+12
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-28 05:08 UTC
- Depth
- 55.2 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -37.647, 178.290
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 312 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 29 seismic stations used · 140° 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.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
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 1,389 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 6,289 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Hicks Bay | 5.3 km N | 1,389 |
| Opotiki | 96.8 km WSW | 4,900 |
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
9 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.3 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.2 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.3 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
M 3.2 29 km SSW of Opotiki, New Zealand
M 3.2 32 km SSW of Hicks Bay, New Zealand
M 3.4 31 km SW of Opotiki, New Zealand
M 3.1 59 km SW of Mangapapa, New Zealand
M 3.0 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 5 km S of Hicks Bay, New Zealand earthquake?
Magnitude 4.5 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 55.2 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?
Aug 28, 2026, 05:08 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+12). In universal time: 2026-08-28 05:08 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 Hicks Bay, 5.3 km N (population 1,389).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.3 (182 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand, 2021), and 9 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.