Earthquake today in Wellington
Wellington Region, New Zealand · checked 18:58 UTC
Was there an earthquake in Wellington today?
Yes. The largest in the last 24 hours was a magnitude 4.0 earthquake 161 km ENE of Wellington at 17:27 UTC (6:27 am in Wellington), as reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
"Today" here is the last 24 hours, ending now. Times are shown in UTC and in Wellington's own time.
In the last 24 hours
- M4.0 — 161 km ENE of Wellington · 17:27 UTC (6:27 am in Wellington) · depth 19 km
Earthquakes near Wellington in the last 30 days
6 in the last 30 days. The largest was magnitude 5.1, 299 km N of Wellington, on 15 October.
| Magnitude | Distance | When | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.0 | 161 km ENE | 19 October, 17:27 UTC (6:27 am in Wellington) | 19 km |
| M5.1 | 299 km N | 15 October, 05:25 UTC (6:25 pm in Wellington) | 280 km |
| M4.2 | 116 km NE | 12 October, 06:52 UTC (7:52 pm in Wellington) | 32 km |
| M5.0 | 248 km N | 2 October, 13:57 UTC (2:57 am in Wellington) | 8 km |
| M4.2 | 145 km NE | 27 September, 10:32 UTC (11:32 pm in Wellington) | 30 km |
| M4.0 | 74 km ENE | 21 September, 09:23 UTC (9:23 pm in Wellington) | 17 km |
Which earthquakes this page counts
A small earthquake close by and a large one far away can both be what people in Wellington notice, so one fixed circle would be wrong both ways. This page counts magnitude 6 or more within 800 km; magnitude 5 or more within 400 km; magnitude 4 or more within 200 km; any size within 100 km. That is this site's rule for what to list, not a statement that an earthquake was felt. The earthquakes are the ones the US Geological Survey (magnitude 2.5 and above) and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (magnitude 4 and above) have published; outside the United States, smaller earthquakes are often missing from both.
The largest earthquakes on record within 300 km
The USGS catalog holds 213 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 300 km of Wellington in the last 50 years. The largest since 1900:
- M7.8, 13 November 2016 — 215 km SW of Wellington (53 km NNE of Amberley, New Zealand)
- M7.4, 2 February 1931 — 216 km NE of Wellington (47 km WSW of Hastings, New Zealand)
- M7.3, 13 February 1931 — 237 km NNE of Wellington (40 km E of Waiouru, New Zealand)
- M7.3, 16 June 1929 — 153 km WSW of Wellington (68 km S of Wakefield, New Zealand)
- M7.2, 5 March 1934 — 125 km NE of Wellington (39 km SE of Palmerston North, New Zealand)
From the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, magnitude 6 and above. The catalog is most complete for recent decades. Search the full history near Wellington →
If you felt it
Expect aftershocks, and stay away from damaged buildings. If you are indoors when shaking starts: drop, cover and hold on. This site does not issue warnings and earthquakes cannot be predicted — follow New Zealand's own authorities, listed on the New Zealand page. What to do before, during and after an earthquake →
Questions
Was there an earthquake in Wellington today?
Yes. The largest in the last 24 hours was a magnitude 4.0 earthquake 161 km ENE of Wellington at 17:27 UTC (6:27 am in Wellington), as reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
How many earthquakes have there been near Wellington recently?
6 in the last 30 days. The largest was magnitude 5.1, 299 km N of Wellington, on 15 October. This page counts magnitude 6 or more within 800 km; magnitude 5 or more within 400 km; magnitude 4 or more within 200 km; any size within 100 km.
How often are there strong earthquakes near Wellington?
The USGS catalog holds 213 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 300 km of Wellington in the last 50 years. The catalog is most complete for recent decades; a low number is not a low hazard.
Where do official earthquake alerts for Wellington come from?
From New Zealand's national seismological and disaster-management agencies, which are listed on this site's New Zealand page. This page collects what USGS and EMSC publish; it does not issue warnings, and earthquakes cannot be predicted.
Other cities in New Zealand
All cities · Earthquakes worldwide today · Earthquakes in New Zealand