M 5.8 Earthquake Strikes Kermadec Islands, New Zealand

Source: USGS · Kermadec Islands, New Zealand

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake was recorded by USGS near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M5.8 is classified "Moderate". Among the 1,720 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M5.8 event ranks stronger than 95% of them (rank #70 by magnitude).

The earthquake report, at a glance

Magnitude
M 5.8
USGS class
Moderate
Location
Kermadec Islands, New Zealand
Archive rank
#70 of 1,720
Source
USGS
Published
August 30, 2026
MODERATE

Sits above 95% of the 1,720 earthquakes in the archive by magnitude; 69 ran stronger.

Record status: a point-in-time USGS detection. Aftershocks, revised magnitude, and felt-report data continue to update on USGS's own event page after publication.

What Happened

A magnitude 5.8 mb earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, on 2026-08-30 at 12:22:09 UTC. The event was recorded at a depth of 35 km.

Location Details

The earthquake was located at coordinates -30.1462° latitude, -177.8882° longitude. This places it in the Kermadec Islands region. A depth of 35 km is classified as intermediate (20-70 km).

Impact Assessment

No felt reports were recorded. There is no tsunami advisory (tsunami field value: 0), and no alert level was issued.

What You Should Know

Earthquakes of this magnitude can produce noticeable shaking. Aftershocks are possible following any seismic event. Residents should follow standard safety practices such as securing heavy objects and knowing evacuation routes.

Source

Data from USGS: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000tcxn

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

All Earthquakes →

Similar notices nationwide by length or severity timing 8

Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this USGS earthquake report: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.

What was the magnitude of this event?
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurred near the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, at a depth of 35 km.
What does a magnitude 5.8 ("Moderate") earthquake mean?
The USGS classifies M5.8 as "Moderate" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are felt over a wide area and can cause significant damage near the epicenter, particularly to older or unreinforced buildings.
How does this compare with other earthquakes Areazine has reported?
This is the #70 strongest of the 1,720 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 95% of them and weaker than 69 others.
Was Kermadec Islands, New Zealand likely to feel this earthquake?
Whether an earthquake is felt depends on its depth, distance from population centers, and local geology, not magnitude alone. Check the USGS "Did You Feel It?" report for this event for real felt-shaking data.