M5.1 Earthquake 51 km WNW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands — September 12, 2023
2023-09-12 01:18:51 UTC (2023-09-12) · approx. 12:18 PM UTC+11 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.1 (moderate).
On September 12, 2023 at 01:18 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 intermediate depth earthquake struck 51 km WNW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 71.1 km and coordinates -10.2681°, 161.4926°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 88 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Taro'a (population 507).
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.
Nearest Populated Places
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
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 | 391,052 |
| MMI 4 | light | 77,711 |
Earthquake Details
161.4926°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Kirakira, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 51 km WNW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands on September 12, 2023 at 01:18 UTC had a depth of 71.1 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -10.2681°, 161.4926°, which is 51 km WNW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands. The nearest populated place is Taro'a (population 507).
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: us7000kv6y). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, September 12, 2023). M5.1 Earthquake 51 km WNW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands — September 12, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kv6y/