5.0

M5.0 Earthquake southeast of the Loyalty IslandsSeptember 2, 2025

2025-09-02 20:14:28 UTC (2025-09-02) · approx. 7:14 AM UTC+11 local

MagnitudeM5.0(mb)
Time20:14 UTC7:14 AM UTC+11
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-23.347°, 170.746°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 2, 2025 at 20:14 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -23.3474°, 170.7457°. This earthquake was detected by 45 seismic stations with moderate 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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -23.35°, 170.75°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-23.3474°N
170.7457°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000qtcu
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Stations Used
45
Azimuthal Gap
208.0°
Min Station Distance
3.127°
RMS Residual
0.78 sec
Last Updated
2025-11-19 21:59:51 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake southeast of the Loyalty Islands?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands on September 2, 2025 at 20:14 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 -23.3474°, 170.7457°, which is southeast of the Loyalty 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: us7000qtcu). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, September 2, 2025). M5.0 Earthquake southeast of the Loyalty IslandsSeptember 2, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000qtcu/