More than 5000 people report 4.8 magnitude quake off Taranaki coast

NZ Herald

14 Sep, 2026 11:05 PMQuick Read

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A small earthquake off Taranaki has been felt across central New Zealand.

The 4.8 magnitude quake, categorised as “weak” by GeoNet, struck in the Tasman Sea, 70km southwest of the small town of Waverley, at 10.44am.

The shake was 82km deep.

More than 5000 people reported feeling it, with most
clustered at the top of the South Island and lower half of the North Island.

One man in Nelson described the earthquake as “pretty gentle”.