M4.5 Earthquake 121 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands — January 14, 2023
2023-01-14 18:16:09 UTC (2023-01-14) · approx. 4:16 AM UTC+10 local
On January 14, 2023 at 18:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 121 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -7.2371°, 156.1617°. This earthquake was detected by 37 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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.
Earthquake Details
156.1617°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Gizo, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 121 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands on January 14, 2023 at 18:16 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -7.2371°, 156.1617°, which is 121 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands.
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: us7000j6d7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 14, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 121 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands — January 14, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j6d7/