M5.3 Earthquake 68 km W of Kirakira, Solomon Islands — December 1, 2021
2021-12-01 17:23:02 UTC (2021-12-01) · approx. 4:23 AM UTC+11 local
On December 1, 2021 at 17:23 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 68 km W of Kirakira, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 43.7 km and coordinates -10.3911°, 161.2972°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
161.2972°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Kirakira, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 68 km W of Kirakira, Solomon Islands on December 1, 2021 at 17:23 UTC had a depth of 43.7 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -10.3911°, 161.2972°, which is 68 km W of Kirakira, Solomon Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000g88z). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 1, 2021). M5.3 Earthquake 68 km W of Kirakira, Solomon Islands — December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000g88z/