M4.5 Earthquake 31 km WNW of Titahi Bay, New Zealand — July 31, 2026
2026-07-31 11:09:22 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 11:09 PM UTC+12 local
Felt by 4 people across nearby locations.
On July 31, 2026 at 11:09 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 31 km WNW of Titahi Bay, New Zealand, at a depth of 55.6 km and coordinates -41.0049°, 174.4771°. This earthquake was detected by 31 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 313, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — 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 4 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
174.4771°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Titahi Bay, New Zealand?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 31 km WNW of Titahi Bay, New Zealand on July 31, 2026 at 11:09 UTC had a depth of 55.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -41.0049°, 174.4771°, which is 31 km WNW of Titahi Bay, New Zealand. View all earthquakes in New Zealand.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 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 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000th7q). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 31, 2026). M4.5 Earthquake 31 km WNW of Titahi Bay, New Zealand — July 31, 2026. Retrieved July 31, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000th7q/