M5.1 Earthquake 44 km ESE of Gizo, Solomon Islands — December 15, 2024
2024-12-15 01:33:55 UTC (2024-12-15) · approx. 11:33 AM UTC+10 local
On December 15, 2024 at 01:33 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 44 km ESE of Gizo, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -8.3288°, 157.1814°. This earthquake was detected by 93 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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
157.1814°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Gizo, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 44 km ESE of Gizo, Solomon Islands on December 15, 2024 at 01:33 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -8.3288°, 157.1814°, which is 44 km ESE of Gizo, 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: us7000nyyk). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 15, 2024). M5.1 Earthquake 44 km ESE of Gizo, Solomon Islands — December 15, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000nyyk/