Significant earthquakes of 2007

October 15, 2007 Earthquake: Fiordland, South Island, New Zealand

October 15, 2007 · M6.8

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Fiordland, South Island, New Zealand on October 15, 2007 at 12:29:36 UTC, 26 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
October 15, 2007
Time
12:29:36 UTC
Place
Fiordland, South Island, New Zealand
Magnitude
6.8 (Mw)
Focal depth
26 km (16 mi)
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
44.785° S, 167.583° E

The toll

Damage
Limited (under about $1 million)

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Slight damage in Fiordland. Felt (V) at Invercargill; (IV) at Dunedin, Queenstown and Wanaka; (III) at Christchurch. Felt in much of the South Island and southern part of the North Island. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 2007The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2007Recent 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 7696.