On Monday evening (May 5), a 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Levine, trembling as far as Taupo, New Plymouth and Nelson. The earthquake occurred at 5.16pm local time, with its center located about 10 kilometers northwest of Levine and a depth of 36 kilometers.Some residents reported feeling shaking, others did not notice. The earthquake was the strongest in New Zealand since last Wednesday (30 April 2025). The April 30 earthquake occurred 5 kilometers south of Stewart Island. Its record is 5.9, on the Richter scale.
Geonet reported that the earthquake was 10 kilometers northwest of Levin with a depth of 36 kilometers. The earthquake in the north is as far away from Taupō and New Plymouth, just as in the south of Nelson.
In April, Horowhenua experienced a tornado, causing damage in Levin and Waikawa Beach. First responders assessed the impact of these tornadoes.
Geonet reported that the earthquake was 10 kilometers northwest of Levin with a depth of 36 kilometers. The earthquake in the north is as far away from Taupō and New Plymouth, just as in the south of Nelson.
In April, Horowhenua experienced a tornado, causing damage in Levin and Waikawa Beach. First responders assessed the impact of these tornadoes.
“Please know that we are here to serve you and support the community through response and recovery,” said town mayor Bernie Wanden during the April tornado.
Why are earthquakes prone to New Zealand?
New Zealand often experiences earthquakes as the country lies at the top of highly active geological characteristics – the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. These plates have collided with each other for millions of years and have produced tremendous power. As plates collide, the fault line breaks down when interacting with each other or with partners, resulting in 20,000 earthquakes, and about 5 to 10% of earthquakes are recorded each year in New Zealand, of which about 5 to 10% of people are strong enough to be felt by humans.
