M3.9 Earthquake 12 km N of Rahotu, New Zealand — September 5, 2026
2026-09-05 18:46:09 UTC (2026-09-05) · approx. 6:46 AM UTC+12 local
On September 5, 2026 at 18:46 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 12 km N of Rahotu, New Zealand, at a depth of 10.1 km and coordinates -39.2175°, 173.8015°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 296 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred 19 days ago 4 km ENE of Inglewood, New Zealand. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
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
173.8015°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.9 earthquake near Rahotu, New Zealand?
The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck 12 km N of Rahotu, New Zealand on September 5, 2026 at 18:46 UTC had a depth of 10.1 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.0 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 3.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 4 km ENE of Inglewood, New Zealand. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.9 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000tekj). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 5, 2026). M3.9 Earthquake 12 km N of Rahotu, New Zealand — September 5, 2026. Retrieved September 6, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000tekj/