M5.1 Earthquake 38 km WSW of Buala, Solomon Islands — December 7, 2020
2020-12-07 22:30:01 UTC (2020-12-07) · approx. 9:30 AM UTC+11 local
On December 7, 2020 at 22:30 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 38 km WSW of Buala, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 59.5 km and coordinates -8.2703°, 159.2686°.
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.
Earthquake Details
159.2686°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Buala, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 38 km WSW of Buala, Solomon Islands on December 7, 2020 at 22:30 UTC had a depth of 59.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -8.2703°, 159.2686°, which is 38 km WSW of Buala, Solomon Islands.
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: us7000cnz4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 7, 2020). M5.1 Earthquake 38 km WSW of Buala, Solomon Islands — December 7, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cnz4/