M6.5 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand — June 20, 2021
2021-06-20 17:05:50 UTC (2021-06-20) · approx. 5:05 AM UTC-12 local
On June 20, 2021 at 17:05 UTC, a magnitude 6.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, at a depth of 25.0 km and coordinates -30.2162°, -177.8449°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 18 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
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Earthquake Details
-177.8449°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.5 earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand?
The magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on June 20, 2021 at 17:05 UTC had a depth of 25.0 km. For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -30.2162°, -177.8449°, 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 6.5 earthquakes can continue for weeks to months 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 6.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000eeq4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, June 20, 2021). M6.5 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand — June 20, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000eeq4/