4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 98 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia — September 27, 2026

2026-09-27 22:40:54 UTC (2026-09-27) · approx. 9:40 AM UTC+11 local

Aftershock of the M5.0 mainshock.

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time22:40 UTC≈ 9:40 AM UTC+11
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-21.041°, 168.662°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 27, 2026 at 22:40 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 98 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -21.0410°, 168.6618°. This earthquake was detected by 22 seismic stations with good 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.

This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred 21 days ago 73 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 33 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -21.04°, 168.66°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-21.0410°N
168.6618°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000tz6l
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
22
Azimuthal Gap
139.0°
Min Station Distance
1.929°
RMS Residual
0.46 sec
Last Updated
2026-10-21 00:50:40 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Tadine, New Caledonia?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 98 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia on September 27, 2026 at 22:40 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -21.0410°, 168.6618°, which is 98 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia.

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.

Is this the same earthquake as the M5.0 one earlier?

No. This magnitude 4.6 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 73 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.

Actions

View on USGSDid You Feel It?

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000tz6l). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 27, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 98 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia — September 27, 2026. Retrieved October 21, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000tz6l/