4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 105 km SSE of Lata, Solomon IslandsMay 21, 2026

2026-05-21 21:25:25 UTC (2026-05-21) · approx. 8:25 AM UTC+11 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time21:25 UTC8:25 AM UTC+11
Depth46.8 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-11.547°, 166.293°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 21, 2026 at 21:25 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 105 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 46.8 km and coordinates -11.5474°, 166.2932°. This earthquake was detected by 16 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -11.55°, 166.29°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
46.8 km
shallow crustal
Location
-11.5474°N
166.2932°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000sp3l
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
16
Azimuthal Gap
146.0°
Min Station Distance
3.976°
RMS Residual
0.76 sec
Last Updated
2026-06-12 05:19:59 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Lata, Solomon Islands?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 105 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands on May 21, 2026 at 21:25 UTC had a depth of 46.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -11.5474°, 166.2932°, which is 105 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000sp3l). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 21, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 105 km SSE of Lata, Solomon IslandsMay 21, 2026. Retrieved June 12, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000sp3l/