M4.5 Earthquake 42 km SE of Witherlea, New Zealand — May 29, 2026
2026-05-29 22:56:30 UTC (2026-05-29) · approx. 10:56 AM UTC+12 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations.
On May 29, 2026 at 22:56 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 42 km SE of Witherlea, New Zealand, at a depth of 14.6 km and coordinates -41.7486°, 174.3718°. This earthquake was detected by 41 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, 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 1 citizen response 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
174.3718°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Witherlea, New Zealand?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 42 km SE of Witherlea, New Zealand on May 29, 2026 at 22:56 UTC had a depth of 14.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -41.7486°, 174.3718°, which is 42 km SE of Witherlea, 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: us7000spft). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 29, 2026). M4.5 Earthquake 42 km SE of Witherlea, New Zealand — May 29, 2026. Retrieved July 2, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000spft/