M5.9 Earthquake 156 km NNE of Labasa, Fiji — September 15, 2020
2020-09-15 04:12:16 UTC (2020-09-15) · approx. 4:12 PM UTC+12 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 5.8 (strong).
On September 15, 2020 at 04:12 UTC, a magnitude 5.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 156 km NNE of Labasa, Fiji, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -15.1075°, 179.8718°. The earthquake was reported felt by 1 personacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 5.8 (strong). 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 5.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 7.1 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
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 | 119,442 |
| MMI 4 | light | 28,632 |
Earthquake Details
179.8718°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Labasa, Fiji?
The magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck 156 km NNE of Labasa, Fiji on September 15, 2020 at 04:12 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. It was felt by 1 person with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 5.8 (strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -15.1075°, 179.8718°, which is 156 km NNE of Labasa, Fiji. View all earthquakes in Fiji.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.9 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000bndc). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 15, 2020). M5.9 Earthquake 156 km NNE of Labasa, Fiji — September 15, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000bndc/