M5.1 Earthquake 270 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna — October 18, 2020
2020-10-18 09:42:31 UTC (2020-10-18) · approx. 9:42 PM UTC-12 local
On October 18, 2020 at 09:42 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 270 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -16.6228°, -177.2779°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-177.2779°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Alo, Wallis and Futuna?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 270 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna on October 18, 2020 at 09:42 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -16.6228°, -177.2779°, which is 270 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c95r). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 18, 2020). M5.1 Earthquake 270 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna — October 18, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c95r/