M4.8 Earthquake 40 km WNW of Malango, Solomon Islands — January 30, 2026
2026-01-30 22:57:12 UTC (2026-01-30) · approx. 9:57 AM UTC+11 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations.
On January 30, 2026 at 22:57 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 40 km WNW of Malango, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 9.4 km and coordinates -9.5096°, 159.4027°. This earthquake was detected by 21 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 355, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
159.4027°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Malango, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 40 km WNW of Malango, Solomon Islands on January 30, 2026 at 22:57 UTC had a depth of 9.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -9.5096°, 159.4027°, which is 40 km WNW of Malango, Solomon Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000s90w). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, January 30, 2026). M4.8 Earthquake 40 km WNW of Malango, Solomon Islands — January 30, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000s90w/