M5.1 Earthquake southeast of the Loyalty Islands — July 13, 2026
2026-07-13 16:31:30 UTC (6 hours ago) · approx. 3:31 AM UTC+11 local
Aftershock of the M6.3 mainshock.
On July 13, 2026 at 16:31 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -22.8289°, 171.3991°. This earthquake was detected by 65 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.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 6.3 mainshock that occurred 8 hours ago southeast of the Loyalty Islands. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 8 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for weeks to months as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
171.3991°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake southeast of the Loyalty Islands?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands on July 13, 2026 at 16:31 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 -22.8289°, 171.3991°, which is southeast of the Loyalty 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.
Is this the same earthquake as the M6.3 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.1 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 6.3 mainshock that occurred earlier southeast of the Loyalty Islands. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000t02f). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 13, 2026). M5.1 Earthquake southeast of the Loyalty Islands — July 13, 2026. Retrieved July 13, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000t02f/