A magnitude 5.6 earthquake was recorded near 12 km W of Hicks Bay, New Zealand on Aug 2, 2026, 8:35:27 AM (2026-08-02T08:35:27.743Z). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 53.4 km with coordinates -37.5922, 178.1622.
Moderate — widely felt, limited damage likely. This was a magnitude 5.6 earthquake — classed as moderate. Magnitude 5.0–5.9 earthquakes can damage poorly built buildings near the epicentre and are felt over a wide area.
At 53.4 km this is a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes release their energy close to the surface, so shaking is usually stronger and more damaging than a deeper quake of the same magnitude — but it is felt over a smaller area.
Nearest major city: 312 km ESE of Auckland, New Zealand.
The epicentre was located at -37.5922 latitude and 178.1622 longitude near 12 km W of Hicks Bay, New Zealand. The earthquake was shallow at 53.4 km depth.
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Data source: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program event page. This page is generated from live USGS GeoJSON feed data.
Data source: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Enable JavaScript for the live interactive map.