M5.2 Earthquake 144 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands — May 15, 2021
2021-05-15 12:52:48 UTC (2021-05-15) · approx. 11:52 PM UTC+11 local
On May 15, 2021 at 12:52 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 144 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 62.5 km and coordinates -11.8303°, 166.5073°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
166.5073°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Lata, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 144 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands on May 15, 2021 at 12:52 UTC had a depth of 62.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -11.8303°, 166.5073°, which is 144 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000e3dy). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 15, 2021). M5.2 Earthquake 144 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands — May 15, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000e3dy/