January 14, 1976 Earthquake: Kermadec Islands
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Kermadec Islands on January 14, 1976 at 15:56:34 UTC, 15 km below the surface.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- January 14, 1976
- Time
- 15:56:34 UTC
- Place
- Kermadec Islands
- Magnitude
- 7.8 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 15 km (9 mi)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 29.924° S, 177.222° W
- Country
- Kermadec Islands
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
A series of strong earthquakes occurred in early 1976 near the Kermadec Islands north of New Zealand. The strongest of these earthquakes occurred on Jan. 14 at 15 56 and 16 47 UTC. The first of the two shocks was felt stronger on Raoul Island, the only inhabited island of the Kermadec Islands. Damage (VIII) on Raoul. Some frame houses were destroyed and things were thrown about in rooms. The water supply was disrupted and cracks developed on roads which were blocked by landslides and rock falls. No human lives were lost.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 4, 2021, Sse of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
- September 14, 1943, S of, Kermadec Islands
- June 23, 2014, Sse of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand
- April 24, 2023, S of, Kermadec Islands
- January 29, 2022, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand
- March 4, 2021, S Of, Raoul, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand
- May 1, 1917, Kermadec Islands
- January 14, 1976, Kermadec Islands
- February 9, 1978, S of, Kermadec Islands
- July 6, 2011, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand
- November 16, 1917, S of, Kermadec Islands
- March 16, 2023, Kermadec Islands
- June 18, 1993, Kermadec Islands
- June 15, 2019, S Of, Raoul, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand
- October 21, 2011, Kermadec Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 1976The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1976Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 4708.