M5.1 Earthquake 16 km NW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands — July 17, 2026
2026-07-17 13:27:41 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 12:27 AM UTC+11 local
On July 17, 2026 at 13:27 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 16 km NW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 66.2 km and coordinates -10.3499°, 161.8112°. This earthquake was detected by 69 seismic stations with good 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.
Earthquake Details
161.8112°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Kirakira, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 16 km NW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands on July 17, 2026 at 13:27 UTC had a depth of 66.2 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -10.3499°, 161.8112°, which is 16 km NW of Kirakira, Solomon 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.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000t1b3). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 17, 2026). M5.1 Earthquake 16 km NW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands — July 17, 2026. Retrieved July 17, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000t1b3/