On Thursday, July 16th, 2026, a magnitude-5.9 earthquake struck 40 kilometres north of Te Anau on New Zealand's South Island. The quake affected the west coast region from Milford Sound to Puysegur Point.

Emergency officials initially reported the earthquake as magnitude-6.3 and issued a tsunami warning. However, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) later downgraded the warning, cancelling the tsunami alert but cautioning that coastal areas could still experience "strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore." NEMA advised people to move out of the water, off beaches, and to stay away from harbours, marinas, and rivers.

NZ's GeoNet system confirmed that "strong" shaking was felt in the area following the quake. Local resident Maylene Puyat, duty manager at Te Anau's Fiordland Hotel, described the earthquake as "a bit strong," feeling shaking for about one minute but noted, "In the hotel, it's shaking, but nothing moved in the hotel."

Another resident told the Otago Daily Times that the shaking was "long and loud" and sounded "like a train."

Te Anau serves as the gateway to Fiordland, a popular tourist destination known for its glacier-carved landscapes in the country's southwestern corner.

Sources