EarthquakeExtreme

M7.4 earthquake - 180 km W of Riverton, New Zealand

Name: M7.4 earthquake - 180 km W of Riverton, New Zealand
Start: 1979-10-12T10:25:22.3+00:00
Location: 180 km W of Riverton, New Zealand

17171 d ago · 12 Oct 1979, 10:25 UTC 180 km W of Riverton, New Zealand

What happened

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck 180 km W of Riverton, New Zealand on 12 Oct 1979, 10:25 UTC at a depth of 33 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Major. Can cause serious damage over large areas. This was a shallow earthquake, which tends to be felt more strongly at the surface.

The nearest town in our records is Invercargill, about 205 km away in Southland, New Zealand.

Timeline

First reported by USGS
16 Oct 2026, 20:46 UTC

Community

Did you feel it?

Nearby in the last 30 days

No other events recorded within about 300 km in the last 30 days.