M4.7 Earthquake 117 km NE of Maketu, New Zealand — August 29, 2020
2020-08-29 08:29:51 UTC (2020-08-29) · approx. 8:29 PM UTC+12 local
Felt by 6 people across nearby locations.
On August 29, 2020 at 08:29 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 117 km NE of Maketu, New Zealand, at a depth of 5.6 km and coordinates -36.8898°, 177.1967°.
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 6 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
177.1967°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Maketu, New Zealand?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 117 km NE of Maketu, New Zealand on August 29, 2020 at 08:29 UTC had a depth of 5.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -36.8898°, 177.1967°, which is 117 km NE of Maketu, 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: us7000ber6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 29, 2020). M4.7 Earthquake 117 km NE of Maketu, New Zealand — August 29, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ber6/