M5.4 Earthquake 128 km NNE of Ba, Fiji — October 9, 2022
2022-10-09 22:58:49 UTC (2022-10-09) · approx. 10:58 AM UTC+12 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.0 (moderate).
On October 9, 2022 at 22:58 UTC, a magnitude 5.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 128 km NNE of Ba, Fiji, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -16.4225°, 178.0237°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 58 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 449, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Labasa (population 27,949).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 2 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Fiji, a region characterized by the Fiji Fracture Zone at the junction of the Pacific and Australian plates, with deep-focus seismicity from the subducted slab. View all earthquakes in Fiji.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 869,597 |
| MMI 4 | light | 9,586 |
Earthquake Details
178.0237°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.4 earthquake near Ba, Fiji?
The magnitude 5.4 earthquake that struck 128 km NNE of Ba, Fiji on October 9, 2022 at 22:58 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 -16.4225°, 178.0237°, which is 128 km NNE of Ba, Fiji. The nearest populated place is Labasa (population 27,949). View all earthquakes in Fiji.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.4 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000isdb). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, October 9, 2022). M5.4 Earthquake 128 km NNE of Ba, Fiji — October 9, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000isdb/