M4.9 Earthquake 135 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands — August 18, 2020
2020-08-18 18:36:25 UTC (2020-08-18) · approx. 5:36 AM UTC+11 local
On August 18, 2020 at 18:36 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 135 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 10.3 km and coordinates -9.0105°, 158.6996°.
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.
Earthquake Details
158.6996°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Malango, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 135 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands on August 18, 2020 at 18:36 UTC had a depth of 10.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -9.0105°, 158.6996°, which is 135 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands.
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.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000bgq6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 18, 2020). M4.9 Earthquake 135 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands — August 18, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000bgq6/