M4.6 Earthquake 243 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia — May 22, 2026
2026-05-22 21:58:53 UTC (2026-05-22) · approx. 8:58 AM UTC+11 local
On May 22, 2026 at 21:58 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 243 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia, at a depth of 43.6 km and coordinates -21.8805°, 170.2035°. This earthquake was detected by 14 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.
Earthquake Details
170.2035°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Tadine, New Caledonia?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 243 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia on May 22, 2026 at 21:58 UTC had a depth of 43.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -21.8805°, 170.2035°, which is 243 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000spae). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 22, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 243 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia — May 22, 2026. Retrieved July 19, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000spae/