5.1

M5.1 Earthquake south of the Fiji IslandsAugust 1, 2026

2026-08-01 15:51:11 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 3:51 AM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM5.1(mww)
Time15:51 UTC3:51 AM UTC-12
Depth69.8 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-24.394°, -176.796°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On August 1, 2026 at 15:51 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck south of the Fiji Islands, at a depth of 69.8 km and coordinates -24.3942°, -176.7959°. This earthquake was detected by 124 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -24.39°, -176.80°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.1 mww
Depth
69.8 km
shallow crustal
Location
-24.3942°N
-176.7959°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000thgx
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
400
Stations Used
124
Azimuthal Gap
51.0°
Min Station Distance
4.936°
RMS Residual
0.69 sec
Last Updated
2026-08-01 16:10:25 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake south of the Fiji Islands?

The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck south of the Fiji Islands on August 1, 2026 at 15:51 UTC had a depth of 69.8 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -24.3942°, -176.7959°, 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 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000thgx). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 1, 2026). M5.1 Earthquake south of the Fiji IslandsAugust 1, 2026. Retrieved August 1, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000thgx/