M5.0 Earthquake 39 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands — December 23, 2024
2024-12-23 04:51:08 UTC (2024-12-23) · approx. 3:51 PM UTC+11 local
On December 23, 2024 at 04:51 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 39 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 57.0 km and coordinates -11.0805°, 165.8553°. This earthquake was detected by 75 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
165.8553°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Lata, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 39 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands on December 23, 2024 at 04:51 UTC had a depth of 57.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -11.0805°, 165.8553°, which is 39 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000p0ub). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 23, 2024). M5.0 Earthquake 39 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands — December 23, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000p0ub/