Seismic history
Major earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and geological events in New Zealand, 1900–2026, with sources and detailed information.
Total earthquakes
189
M5+
Strongest
M7.8
M7+ events
14
Tsunami events
3
| Date | Magnitude | Location | Depth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-07-15 | 7.8 | 97 km WSW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 12 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2016-11-13 | 7.8 | 53 km NNE of Amberley, New Zealand🌊 | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1947-03-25 | 7.7 | 46 km E of Gisborne, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1931-02-02 | 7.4 | 47 km WSW of Hastings, New Zealand | 35 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1929-06-16 | 7.3 | 68 km S of Wakefield, New Zealand | 20 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1934-03-05 | 7.2 | 39 km SE of Palmerston North, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2003-08-21 | 7.2 | 56 km NW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 28 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1995-02-05 | 7.1 | 118 km NNE of Gisborne, New Zealand | 21 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1968-05-23 | 7.1 | 38 km E of Westport, New Zealand | 23 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1914-11-22 | 7.0 | 44 km N of Whakatane, New Zealand | 275 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1938-12-16 | 7.0 | 15 km WNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 100 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1942-06-24 | 7.0 | 25 km SE of Masterton, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1993-08-10 | 7.0 | 63 km WNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 28 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2010-09-03 | 7.0 | 19 km NE of Methven, New Zealand | 12 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1904-08-08 | 6.9 | 144 km SE of Waipawa, New Zealand | 30 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1932-09-15 | 6.9 | 62 km S of Gisborne, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1994-06-18 | 6.8 | 56 km NW of Oxford, New Zealand | 14 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1984-12-30 | 6.8 | 150 km N of Opotiki, New Zealand | 39 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2007-10-15 | 6.8 | 70 km N of Te Anau, New Zealand | 18 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1970-01-08 | 6.8 | south of the Kermadec Islands | 199 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1917-08-05 | 6.8 | 56 km SSE of Castlepoint, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1943-08-02 | 6.7 | 62 km WNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1921-06-28 | 6.7 | 5 km SSW of Hastings, New Zealand | 25 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2001-10-21 | 6.7 | 178 km ENE of Opotiki, New Zealand | 18 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1988-06-03 | 6.7 | 46 km NNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 83 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1914-10-06 | 6.7 | 48 km ENE of Opotiki, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1976-05-04 | 6.6 | 86 km N of Te Anau, New Zealand | 19 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1938-12-16 | 6.6 | 115 km WNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1922-02-15 | 6.5 | 248 km SW of Bluff, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1995-02-10 | 6.5 | 102 km NNE of Gisborne, New Zealand | 28 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1946-06-26 | 6.5 | 35 km NNW of Methven, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1987-03-02 | 6.5 | 6 km WNW of Edgecumbe, New Zealand | 19 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2016-11-14 | 6.5 | 74 km NE of Amberley, New Zealand🌊 | 9 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2013-08-16 | 6.5 | 29 km SE of Blenheim, New Zealand🌊 | 8 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1931-04-22 | 6.5 | 105 km SSE of Hastings, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1929-06-22 | 6.5 | 58 km SW of Wakefield, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1948-05-22 | 6.4 | 71 km NNE of Amberley, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1961-12-27 | 6.4 | 31 km ENE of Waipawa, New Zealand | 20 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1993-08-10 | 6.4 | 42 km WNW of Gisborne, New Zealand | 14 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1990-05-13 | 6.4 | 39 km E of Palmerston North, New Zealand | 21 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2003-11-02 | 6.4 | 96 km WNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 10 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1989-05-31 | 6.4 | 49 km W of Te Anau, New Zealand | 23 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1951-02-10 | 6.3 | 48 km SSW of Hastings, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1970-07-27 | 6.3 | 26 km ENE of Opotiki, New Zealand | 95 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1919-09-12 | 6.3 | 84 km SSE of Castlepoint, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1934-03-15 | 6.3 | 7 km WNW of Hastings, New Zealand | 25 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2012-07-03 | 6.3 | 63 km S of Opunake, New Zealand | 230 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1930-02-12 | 6.3 | 50 km ESE of Castlepoint, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1956-12-28 | 6.3 | 45 km NW of Gisborne, New Zealand | 35 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1942-12-02 | 6.2 | 37 km SE of Palmerston North, New Zealand | 25 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1939-04-20 | 6.2 | 80 km WSW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 35 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1968-09-25 | 6.2 | 88 km W of Riverton, New Zealand | 10 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1927-02-25 | 6.2 | 54 km NNE of Gisborne, New Zealand | 35 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2011-02-22 | 6.2 | Christchurch, New Zealand | 5 km | GeoNet |
| 1960-05-24 | 6.2 | 114 km NW of Arrowtown, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1974-02-28 | 6.2 | 92 km ENE of Tairua, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1973-01-05 | 6.2 | 49 km W of Turangi, New Zealand | 150 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1999-10-25 | 6.2 | 24 km W of Taupo, New Zealand | 159 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1992-06-21 | 6.2 | 31 km NNW of Whakatane, New Zealand | 10 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1957-12-31 | 6.2 | 129 km WNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 25 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1931-02-11 | 6.2 | 174 km ESE of Hastings, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1947-10-13 | 6.1 | 53 km NNW of Wanaka, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1946-06-28 | 6.1 | 54 km NNW of Methven, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1965-06-15 | 6.1 | 23 km ENE of Opotiki, New Zealand | 70 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2009-08-05 | 6.1 | 107 km W of Te Anau, New Zealand | 10 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1991-11-20 | 6.1 | 192 km NNE of Opotiki, New Zealand | 79 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2007-10-15 | 6.1 | 72 km NNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 19 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2000-11-01 | 6.1 | 67 km NW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 25 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1984-06-24 | 6.1 | 76 km NW of Geraldine, New Zealand | 6 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2016-11-13 | 6.1 | 78 km SSW of Blenheim, New Zealand | 14 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2018-10-30 | 6.1 | 62 km E of Waitara, New Zealand | 225 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2015-04-24 | 6.1 | 73 km S of Wakefield, New Zealand | 48 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2014-01-20 | 6.1 | 35 km NNE of Masterton, New Zealand | 28 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1938-12-30 | 6.1 | 57 km N of Castlepoint, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1937-10-25 | 6.0 | 43 km ENE of Opotiki, New Zealand | 35 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1990-02-10 | 6.0 | 90 km N of Amberley, New Zealand | 10 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1977-01-18 | 6.0 | 34 km SE of Blenheim, New Zealand | 50 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1995-02-13 | 6.0 | 125 km ENE of Opotiki, New Zealand | 28 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1994-06-19 | 6.0 | 40 km N of Methven, New Zealand | 10 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1985-07-19 | 6.0 | 41 km SE of Murupara, New Zealand | 52 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1971-10-31 | 6.0 | 31 km ESE of Taupo, New Zealand | 89 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1932-05-05 | 6.0 | 33 km WSW of Hastings, New Zealand | 35 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1968-02-22 | 5.9 | 86 km NW of Arthurs Point, New Zealand | 10 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2026-07-16 | 5.9 | 43 km NNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 68 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1929-07-15 | 5.9 | 75 km S of Wakefield, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2003-08-21 | 5.9 | 53 km W of Te Anau, New Zealand | 33 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2013-08-16 | 5.9 | 30 km ESE of Blenheim, New Zealand | 14 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1964-03-08 | 5.8 | 92 km NW of Arthurs Point, New Zealand | 16 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1917-08-06 | 5.8 | 188 km ESE of Castlepoint, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1974-09-21 | 5.8 | 82 km NW of Arrowtown, New Zealand | 49 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1999-05-18 | 5.8 | 54 km S of Otorohanga, New Zealand | 283 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1992-05-16 | 5.8 | 25 km NNW of Gisborne, New Zealand | 45 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2001-12-07 | 5.8 | 59 km NNW of Wanaka, New Zealand | 10 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1987-03-02 | 5.8 | 16 km NNW of Whakatane, New Zealand | 18 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2020-03-14 | 5.8 | 211 km NE of Opotiki, New Zealand | 48 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2019-11-23 | 5.8 | 69 km NNE of Whakatane, New Zealand | 121 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2011-12-23 | 5.8 | 14 km ENE of Christchurch, New Zealand | 10 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1931-02-03 | 5.8 | 62 km SE of Hastings, New Zealand | 15 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 1966-04-23 | 5.7 | 40 km SSW of Brooklyn, New Zealand | 20 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |
| 2023-02-15 | 5.7 | 55 km NW of Raumati Beach, New Zealand | 78 km | USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |