M5.7 Earthquake 33 km NE of Auki, Solomon Islands — May 16, 2026
2026-05-16 15:17:56 UTC (12 hours ago) · approx. 2:17 AM UTC+11 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.7 (very strong).
On May 16, 2026 at 15:17 UTC, a magnitude 5.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 33 km NE of Auki, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 23.4 km and coordinates -8.5526°, 160.9161°. The earthquake was reported felt by 1 personacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 6.7 (very strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 175 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 500, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Auki (population 7,882).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 5 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 5.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
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
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
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 | 252,913 |
| MMI 4 | light | 180,316 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 66,853 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 20,749 |
| MMI 7 | very strong | 888 |
Earthquake Details
160.9161°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.7 earthquake near Auki, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 5.7 earthquake that struck 33 km NE of Auki, Solomon Islands on May 16, 2026 at 15:17 UTC had a depth of 23.4 km. It was felt by 1 person with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 6.7 (very strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -8.5526°, 160.9161°, which is 33 km NE of Auki, Solomon Islands. The nearest populated place is Auki (population 7,882).
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.7 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000sy8k). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 16, 2026). M5.7 Earthquake 33 km NE of Auki, Solomon Islands — May 16, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000sy8k/