M4.9 Earthquake 129 km W of Labasa, Fiji — August 16, 2020
2020-08-16 21:13:25 UTC (2020-08-16) · approx. 9:13 AM UTC+12 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.0 mainshock.
On August 16, 2020 at 21:13 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 129 km W of Labasa, Fiji, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -16.2729°, 178.1615°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred 16 days ago 139 km NNE of Ba, Fiji. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
The epicenter is located in Fiji, a region characterized by the Fiji Fracture Zone at the junction of the Pacific and Australian plates, with deep-focus seismicity from the subducted slab. View all earthquakes in Fiji.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
178.1615°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Labasa, Fiji?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 129 km W of Labasa, Fiji on August 16, 2020 at 21:13 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -16.2729°, 178.1615°, which is 129 km W of Labasa, Fiji. View all earthquakes in Fiji.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.0 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 139 km NNE of Ba, Fiji. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000bfqs). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 16, 2020). M4.9 Earthquake 129 km W of Labasa, Fiji — August 16, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000bfqs/