M4.5 Earthquake 98 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands — May 16, 2022
2022-05-16 20:45:04 UTC (2022-05-16) · approx. 6:45 AM UTC+10 local
On May 16, 2022 at 20:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 98 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 59.3 km and coordinates -7.4518°, 156.2296°. This earthquake was detected by 29 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
156.2296°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Gizo, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 98 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands on May 16, 2022 at 20:45 UTC had a depth of 59.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -7.4518°, 156.2296°, which is 98 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000hmns). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, May 16, 2022). M4.5 Earthquake 98 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands — May 16, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000hmns/