Nation · ✓ 2 outlets
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake shakes Taranaki before dawn on Saturday
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck about 25 km east of New Plymouth at around 3am on Saturday 3 October, at a depth of about 11 km, according to GeoNet figures reported by 1News. More than 7,000 people reported feeling it. Another tracker listed it at magnitude 5.0, which probably reflects a different measurement method.
Taranaki is not among New Zealand's most quake-prone regions, so a shallow 5.3 is unusual.
Drop, cover and hold if shaking starts, and check GeoNet for official figures.
No damage was reported in the coverage DailyDrop saw. Aftershock updates from GeoNet are the thing to watch.
DailyDrop New Zealand edition No. 1 · Morning · MON., OCT. 5, 2026