4.5

M4.5 Earthquake 221 km ENE of Levuka, FijiSeptember 9, 2021

2021-09-09 21:56:46 UTC (2021-09-09) · approx. 9:56 AM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM4.5(mb)
Time21:56 UTC9:56 AM UTC-12
Depth559.5 kmdeep-focus
Coordinates-17.662°, -178.641°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 9, 2021 at 21:56 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 deep-focus earthquake struck 221 km ENE of Levuka, Fiji, at a depth of 559.5 km and coordinates -17.6618°, -178.6408°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -17.66°, -178.64°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.5 mb
Depth
559.5 km
deep-focus
Location
-17.6618°N
-178.6408°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000f9un
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
312
Azimuthal Gap
119.0°
Min Station Distance
3.152°
RMS Residual
0.45 sec
Last Updated
2021-11-17 17:42:41 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji?

The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 221 km ENE of Levuka, Fiji on September 9, 2021 at 21:56 UTC had a depth of 559.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -17.6618°, -178.6408°, which is 221 km ENE of Levuka, Fiji. View all earthquakes in Fiji.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000f9un). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, September 9, 2021). M4.5 Earthquake 221 km ENE of Levuka, FijiSeptember 9, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000f9un/