Two quakes in Pacific ocean, but no damages or tsunami warnings issued

Two powerful offshore earthquakes struck the southwest Pacific early Wednesday (April 30) morning. But according to geological agencies, neither caused any damage nor triggered tsunami warnings. In fact, most New Zealanders did not feel them.

The first quake, with a magnitude of 5.9 according to New Zealand's GeoNet (6.2 according to the US Geological Survey), struck just after 1 am New Zealand local time. It occurred about 300 kilometers southwest of Invercargill, 12 kilometers beneath the ocean floor.

Shortly after, the USGS recorded a second, stronger quake measuring 6.8 in the Macquarie Island region, located around 1,200 kilometers northeast of Invercargill. This tremor occurred at a shallow depth of less than five kilometers but was far from populated areas.


Authorities confirmed no damage was reported, and no tsunami threat was issued following the two quakes.

GeoNet reported that residents did not feel the quake, likely due to its offshore location and the time of occurrence, early morning, when most people were asleep.

New Zealand, home to about five million people, lies along the seismically active boundary between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. This region, known as the "Ring of Fire," is a major hotspot for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. GeoNet says the country experiences over 20,000 earthquakes yearly, though only 100 to 150 are typically strong enough to be felt.

While the magnitude and distance of a quake are key factors in whether it is felt, experts say other elements—such as the direction seismic energy travels and the time of day—can influence public perception of its severity. In this case, both quakes occurred far offshore, and the ocean largely absorbed their effects.