M4.2 earthquake - off the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand

What happened

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck off the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand on 28 Dec 2023, 18:50 UTC at a depth of 9 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Light. Widely felt nearby; objects may shake or fall. Significant damage is unusual. This was a shallow earthquake, which tends to be felt more strongly at the surface.