M4.0 Earthquake 7 km N of Kawerau, New Zealand — March 18, 2023
2023-03-18 21:42:39 UTC (2023-03-18) · approx. 9:42 AM UTC+12 local
On March 18, 2023 at 21:42 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 7 km N of Kawerau, New Zealand, at a depth of 11.8 km and coordinates -38.0305°, 176.6872°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
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
176.6872°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Kawerau, New Zealand?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 7 km N of Kawerau, New Zealand on March 18, 2023 at 21:42 UTC had a depth of 11.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000jl5i). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, March 18, 2023). M4.0 Earthquake 7 km N of Kawerau, New Zealand — March 18, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000jl5i/