Earthquakes / EVENT RECORD
M 5.3 - 43 km SSE of Otorohanga, New Zealand
USGS · Every measurement below belongs to the selected record.
Read the source-series history ↗Around the epicentre
Regional view · markers are locations, not affected areas
Magnitude
M 5.3
Scale: mww
Depth
286.008 km
from location
Reported by people
9
Number of felt reports
USGS review
reviewed
Review does not imply final measurements
What the record tells us
USGS reports a magnitude 5.3 earthquake in 43 km SSE of Otorohanga, New Zealand, at a depth of 286.008 km.
Detailed source data captured 2026-10-16 23:02:44 UTC.
Measurements & confidence
- Event time (UTC)
- 2026-10-15 05:25:31.942 UTC
- Source updated (UTC)
- 2026-10-16 05:31:16.554 UTC
- Location
- -38.548°, 175.381°
- Stations used for location
- 51
- Horizontal error
- 6.85 km
- Depth error
- 4.803 km
- Magnitude error
- 0.08
Errors are the source’s reported uncertainty estimates, not guaranteed bounds. A depth marked “operator assigned” was fixed during analysis.
Shaking & impact
- Instrumental intensity
- 2.606 MMI
- Felt-report intensity
- 2.7 CDI
- PAGER impact alert
- green
No published assessment does not mean no shaking or no impact. A magnitude value alone cannot establish damage or a tsunami warning.
Nearby seismic activity
Within 500 km · M2.5+ · seven days before the event through the latest query, up to seven days after
10-08
0
10-09
0
10-10
0
10-11
1
10-12
1
10-13
0
10-14
0
10-15
0
10-16
0
Query window: 2026-10-08 05:25:31 to 2026-10-16 23:02:44 UTC. This is spatial proximity, not an identified aftershock sequence.
Magnitude
M 5.3
Scale: mww
Depth
286.008 km
from location
Reported by people
9
Number of felt reports
USGS review
reviewed
Review does not imply final measurements
What the record tells us
USGS reports a magnitude 5.3 earthquake in 43 km SSE of Otorohanga, New Zealand, at a depth of 286.008 km.
Detailed source data captured 2026-10-16 23:02:44 UTC.
Measurements & confidence
- Event time (UTC)
- 2026-10-15 05:25:31.942 UTC
- Source updated (UTC)
- 2026-10-16 05:31:16.554 UTC
- Location
- -38.548°, 175.381°
- Stations used for location
- 51
- Horizontal error
- 6.85 km
- Depth error
- 4.803 km
- Magnitude error
- 0.08
Errors are the source’s reported uncertainty estimates, not guaranteed bounds. A depth marked “operator assigned” was fixed during analysis.
Shaking & impact
- Instrumental intensity
- 2.606 MMI
- Felt-report intensity
- 2.7 CDI
- PAGER impact alert
- green
No published assessment does not mean no shaking or no impact. A magnitude value alone cannot establish damage or a tsunami warning.
Nearby seismic activity
Within 500 km · M2.5+ · seven days before the event through the latest query, up to seven days after
10-08
0
10-09
0
10-10
0
10-11
1
10-12
1
10-13
0
10-14
0
10-15
0
10-16
0
Query window: 2026-10-08 05:25:31 to 2026-10-16 23:02:44 UTC. This is spatial proximity, not an identified aftershock sequence.
Magnitude
M 5.3
Scale: mww
Depth
286.008 km
from location
Reported by people
9
Number of felt reports
USGS review
reviewed
Review does not imply final measurements
What the record tells us
USGS reports a magnitude 5.3 earthquake in 43 km SSE of Otorohanga, New Zealand, at a depth of 286.008 km.
Detailed source data captured 2026-10-16 23:02:44 UTC.
Measurements & confidence
- Event time (UTC)
- 2026-10-15 05:25:31.942 UTC
- Source updated (UTC)
- 2026-10-16 05:31:16.554 UTC
- Location
- -38.548°, 175.381°
- Stations used for location
- 51
- Horizontal error
- 6.85 km
- Depth error
- 4.803 km
- Magnitude error
- 0.08
Errors are the source’s reported uncertainty estimates, not guaranteed bounds. A depth marked “operator assigned” was fixed during analysis.
Shaking & impact
- Instrumental intensity
- 2.606 MMI
- Felt-report intensity
- 2.7 CDI
- PAGER impact alert
- green
No published assessment does not mean no shaking or no impact. A magnitude value alone cannot establish damage or a tsunami warning.
Nearby seismic activity
Within 500 km · M2.5+ · seven days before the event through the latest query, up to seven days after
10-08
0
10-09
0
10-10
0
10-11
1
10-12
1
10-13
0
10-14
0
10-15
0
10-16
0
Query window: 2026-10-08 05:25:31 to 2026-10-16 23:02:44 UTC. This is spatial proximity, not an identified aftershock sequence.
The record as it develops
This timeline begins when our journal started capturing details. It is not a complete USGS revision history.
Captured 2026-10-15 05:44:01 UTC
First detailed capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 05:41:14 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 05:58:52 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 05:57:13 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 06:43:53 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 06:30:19 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 07:43:50 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 08:43:50 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 09:58:50 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 10:58:52 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 12:13:52 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 14:28:51 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 15:43:53 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 16:47:40 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 17:47:40 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 18:47:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 19:47:43 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 21:02:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 22:17:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-15 23:32:42 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 00:47:40 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 01:47:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 03:02:48 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 04:17:43 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-15 07:31:42 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 05:17:40 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:03:15 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 06:17:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 07:17:45 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 08:32:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 09:47:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 10:47:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 11:47:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 12:47:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 14:02:44 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 15:17:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 16:17:41 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 17:17:42 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 18:17:43 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 19:32:42 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 20:32:42 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 21:47:42 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Captured 2026-10-16 23:02:44 UTC
Updated capture · M5.3 · 286.008 km deep · 2 nearby records
Source updated 2026-10-16 05:31:16 UTC
Magnitude is not shaking
Magnitude describes the earthquake’s size. The shaking experienced at a place depends on distance, depth, local ground conditions and the rupture.
Depth needs context
A reported depth describes the location of the earthquake underground. Some solutions use an assigned depth; uncertainty and review status matter.
Nearby does not mean aftershock
Our regional search finds events by distance and time. Establishing an aftershock sequence requires seismological assessment.
This is a source-linked archive. Source measurements and assessments can change. An archived bulletin is not evidence that a warning is currently active.
In the daily journal
16 October 2026 ↗15 October 2026 ↗SOURCE ID usgs:us6000u2ev