M5.3 earthquake - 43 km SSE of Otorohanga, New Zealand

What happened

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck 43 km SSE of Otorohanga, New Zealand on 15 Oct 2026, 05:25 UTC at a depth of 286 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Moderate. Can damage poorly built structures close to the epicentre. This was an intermediate-depth earthquake, so shaking is spread over a wider, gentler area.

The nearest town in our records is Taupo, about 63 km away in Waikato Region, New Zealand.

Green alert: limited impact expected.