M4.6 Earthquake south of the Fiji Islands — December 31, 2023
2023-12-31 17:04:48 UTC (2023-12-31) · approx. 5:04 AM UTC+12 local
On December 31, 2023 at 17:04 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 deep-focus earthquake struck south of the Fiji Islands, at a depth of 516.5 km and coordinates -24.2831°, 179.8066°. This earthquake was detected by 69 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — 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
Earthquake Details
179.8066°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake south of the Fiji Islands?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck south of the Fiji Islands on December 31, 2023 at 17:04 UTC had a depth of 516.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -24.2831°, 179.8066°, which is south of the Fiji Islands. View all earthquakes in Fiji.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000m0ur). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 31, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake south of the Fiji Islands — December 31, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000m0ur/