M5.0 Earthquake 66 km SW of Buala, Solomon Islands — January 29, 2021
2021-01-29 05:52:29 UTC (2021-01-29) · approx. 4:52 PM UTC+11 local
On January 29, 2021 at 05:52 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck 66 km SW of Buala, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 128.8 km and coordinates -8.5013°, 159.1093°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
159.1093°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Buala, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 66 km SW of Buala, Solomon Islands on January 29, 2021 at 05:52 UTC had a depth of 128.8 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -8.5013°, 159.1093°, which is 66 km SW of Buala, Solomon Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000dctr). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, January 29, 2021). M5.0 Earthquake 66 km SW of Buala, Solomon Islands — January 29, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000dctr/