Planet Briefing

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Magnitude 5.5 earthquake in Kermadec Islands Region (2026-09-18)

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake occurred on 2026-09-18 at 23:18:28 UTC in the Kermadec Islands Region (coordinates -27.8581, -177.2286), depth 94.054 km. GDACS issued a Green alert.

Categories: severe-weather-and-natural-disasters

Generated scores

Scores are based on the cited reporting and use a 1–10 scale. Read the methodology.

Confidence
9/10
Geographic reach
2/10
Global importance
2/10
Impact magnitude
4/10
Positivity
1/10
Urgency
3/10

Why it matters

Earthquakes can cause ground shaking, damage, and secondary hazards (e.g., landslides, local tsunamis). This event is moderate in size and fairly deep, and occurred in a remote oceanic region, so widespread impacts are unlikely but local monitoring and assessment are warranted.

Location

Sources

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