M4.4 Earthquake south of the Fiji Islands — May 17, 2022
2022-05-17 22:45:44 UTC (2022-05-17) · approx. 10:45 AM UTC-12 local
On May 17, 2022 at 22:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.4 deep-focus earthquake struck south of the Fiji Islands, at a depth of 523.0 km and coordinates -24.0193°, -179.8488°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 60 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 655 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-179.8488°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.4 earthquake south of the Fiji Islands?
The magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck south of the Fiji Islands on May 17, 2022 at 22:45 UTC had a depth of 523.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.4 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000hnby). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, May 17, 2022). M4.4 Earthquake south of the Fiji Islands — May 17, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000hnby/