M6.0 Earthquake in the Fiji region — July 21, 2020
2020-07-21 20:56:25 UTC (2020-07-21) · approx. 8:56 AM UTC-12 local
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On July 21, 2020 at 20:56 UTC, a magnitude 6.0 deep-focus earthquake struck in the Fiji region, at a depth of 605.2 km and coordinates -20.8045°, -178.6325°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 8.3 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
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
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 |
|---|
Earthquake Details
-178.6325°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.0 earthquake in the Fiji region?
The magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck in the Fiji region on July 21, 2020 at 20:56 UTC had a depth of 605.2 km. For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -20.8045°, -178.6325°, which is in the Fiji region. View all earthquakes in Fiji.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 6.0 earthquakes can continue for weeks to months and gradually diminish over time.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000asms). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, July 21, 2020). M6.0 Earthquake in the Fiji region — July 21, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000asms/