M4.9 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand — May 20, 2022
2022-05-20 06:57:33 UTC (2022-05-20) · approx. 6:57 PM UTC-12 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.8 mainshock.
On May 20, 2022 at 06:57 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, at a depth of 26.4 km and coordinates -30.0733°, -177.5667°. This earthquake was detected by 29 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 370, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.8 mainshock that occurred 12 days ago near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
The epicenter is located in New Zealand, a region characterized by the Hikurangi subduction zone in the North Island and the Alpine Fault in the South Island. The nearest mapped fault system is the Alpine Fault. View all earthquakes in New Zealand.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-177.5667°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on May 20, 2022 at 06:57 UTC had a depth of 26.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -30.0733°, -177.5667°, which is near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand. View all earthquakes in New Zealand.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.8 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.8 mainshock that occurred earlier near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Has New Zealand had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in New Zealand was the M8.2 Wairarapa earthquake of January 23, 1855. Today's magnitude 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000hmk3). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, May 20, 2022). M4.9 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand — May 20, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000hmk3/