M4.7 Earthquake 57 km SE of Wainui, New Zealand — October 12, 2023
2023-10-12 13:40:20 UTC (2023-10-12) · approx. 1:40 AM UTC+12 local
Felt by 3 people across nearby locations.
On October 12, 2023 at 13:40 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 57 km SE of Wainui, New Zealand, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -38.9809°, 178.6143°. This earthquake was detected by 33 seismic stations with moderate location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 341, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
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 3 citizen responses 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
178.6143°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Wainui, New Zealand?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 57 km SE of Wainui, New Zealand on October 12, 2023 at 13:40 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -38.9809°, 178.6143°, which is 57 km SE of Wainui, New Zealand. View all earthquakes in New Zealand.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000lf2w). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, October 12, 2023). M4.7 Earthquake 57 km SE of Wainui, New Zealand — October 12, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000lf2w/