Overall Green Earthquake in New Zealand on 02 Aug 2026 08:35 UTC

GDACS is a cooperation framework between the United Nations, the European Commission and disaster managers worldwide to improve awareness, information exchange and coordination in the first phase after major sudden-onset disasters.

M 5.6 in New Zealand on 02 Aug 2026 08:35 UTC

Hazard models

Rapid Impact

Shakemap

Tsunami

Event summary

This earthquake is expected to have a low humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Earthquake Magnitude:	5.6M
Depth:	52.8 Km
Lat/Lon:	-37.73 , 178.3287
Event Date:	02 Aug 2026 08:35 UTC 02 Aug 2026 20:35 Local
Exposed Population:	20 thousand in MMI IV
Source:	NEIC us6000thl3
Inserted at:	02 Aug 2026 08:53 UTC
INFORM Coping capacity of the alert score:	2 (New Zealand)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS score click here.

	Earthquake (Shakemap)		GDACS score
NEIC	0		0
us6000thl3	Scaled population (raster)	0
	C1 shakemap	0
	C2 shakemap	0
	Country Vulnerability	0
	INFORM_normalised	0
	Score no CC	0

Maximum expected impact using different data sources.

ShakeMap is a product of the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program in conjunction with the regional seismic networks. ShakeMaps provide near-real-time maps of ground motion and shaking intensity following significant earthquakes.

Episode Timeline

ID	Level	Score	Date	Mag, Depth	MMI*	Population**	Tsunami risk***	Delay (hh:mm)	Source
1722485		0	02 Aug 2026 08:35	5.6M, 52.8km	4.22	N/A (in MMI>=VII)		00:18	NEIC

The episode that generated the alert; the next major evaluations beyond 12 hours will not trigger additional alerts.

The episode that has the last updated information.

* The max MMI detected for sources having shakemaps;
** The population detected in MMI>=7 for episode with shakemap or in a 100km radius;
*** The tsunami max height.

Exposed population

The earthquake happened in New Zealand ,of Waikato (population 38,595) . The alertlevel for this event is GREEN

Intensity	Population
	no people

Shakemaps Timeline

Shake id #	episodeid	Lat/Lon	Magnitude	Depth	Max MMI	Date shake (UTC)	Delay (hh:mm)
1	1722485	178.329/-37.73	5.6	52.8	4.424	02 Aug 2026 08:58	00:23	(new episode)
2	1722485	178.329/-37.73	5.6	52.8	4.383	02 Aug 2026 09:03	00:28	(upd of #1)
3	1722485	178.329/-37.73	5.6	52.8	4.383	02 Aug 2026 10:40	02:04	(upd of #2)
4	1722485	178.329/-37.73	5.6	52.8	4.383	03 Aug 2026 14:01	1d 05:26	(upd of #3)
5	1722485	178.162/-37.592	5.6	53.4	4.277	13 Aug 2026 02:01	10d 17:26	(upd of #4)

Affected Provinces

Region Province	Country	Population
East Cape	New Zealand	8500 people
Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	13000 people
East Cape	New Zealand	37000 people
Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	78000 people
Hawke's Bay	New Zealand	3300 people
Waikato	New Zealand	1900 people
Waikato	New Zealand	no people
Wanganui-Manawatu	New Zealand	no people

Affected populated places. Areas of interest

Name	Region Province	Country	City class	Population	Distance
Whakaangiangi	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	3 km
Tikitiki	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	10 km
Te Araroa	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	11 km
Hicks Bay	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	15 km
Horoera	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	15 km
Ruatoria	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	18 km
Tuparoa	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	21 km
Aorangi	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	26 km
Whareponga	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	26 km
Waipiro	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	32 km
Whangaparaoa	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	34 km
Te Puia	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	37 km
Waihau Bay	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	39 km
Te Kaha	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	57 km
Omaio	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	62 km
Mangatuna	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	63 km
Tolaga Bay	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	71 km
Waioeka	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	100 km
Patutahi	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	106 km
Manutuke	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	111 km
Tokomaru Bay	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	44 km
Torere	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	77 km
Toatoa	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	84 km
Whatatutu	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	84 km
Motu	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	90 km
Te Karaka	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	91 km
Whangara	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	93 km
Opotiki	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	4000 people	97 km
Ormond	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	98 km
Matawai	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	98 km
Rakauroa	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	102 km
Hexton	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	102 km
Gisborne	Gisborne	New Zealand	City	34000 people	107 km
Oponae	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	107 km
Kutarere	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	112 km
Nukuhou	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	113 km
Wainui	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	114 km
Wharekopae	Gisborne	New Zealand	Village	-	116 km
Whakatane	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	19000 people	121 km
Pekatahi	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	124 km
Ruatoki	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	125 km
Thornton	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	130 km
Matata	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	140 km
Kawerau	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	6600 people	149 km
Kopuriki	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	152 km
Galatea	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	159 km
Murupara	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	1800 people	164 km
Ohinepaka	Hawke's Bay	New Zealand	Village	-	167 km
Paengaroa	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	170 km
Te Puke	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	7100 people	177 km
Matapihi	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	Village	-	188 km
Rotorua	Bay of Plenty	New Zealand	City	54000 people	189 km
Reporoa	Waikato	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	191 km
Mamaku	Waikato	New Zealand	Village	<1000 people	202 km
Atiamuri	Waikato	New Zealand	Village	-	215 km
Te Haroto	Hawke's Bay	New Zealand	Village	-	216 km
Montuoapa	Waikato	New Zealand	Village	-	253 km

see full list

Critical infrastructure

Airports, ports, nuclear plants and hydrodams at risk, if affected, are listed below.

Airports

Name	IATA Code	Elevation (m)	Usage	Runway type	IFR	Runway Length (ft)	Distance
Opotiki		8	Civ.	Unpaved	No	3400	96 km
Gisborne	GIS	5	Civ.	Paved	No	4200	108 km
Whakatane	WHK	6	Civ.	Paved	Yes	4100	126 km
Wairoa	WIR	13	Civ.	Paved	No	4400	164 km
Tauranga	TRG	4	Civ.	Paved	Yes	4200	188 km

Ports

Name	LOCODE	Country	Distance
East Cape		New Zealand	20 km
Gisborne	NZGIS	New Zealand	109 km
Tokomaru		New Zealand	43 km
Opotiki		New Zealand	93 km
Whakatane		New Zealand	120 km
Wairoa	NZWIR	New Zealand	166 km

Dams

Intensity	Reservoir	Dam Name	River	Year	Distance
		Aniwhenua Barrage	Rangitaiki	1980	150 km
		Atiamuri	Waikato	1958	215 km

More information

For a full list of available products related to this event, please refer to the GDACS Resources page.

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