M4.6 Earthquake 56 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands — July 17, 2026
2026-07-17 06:55:15 UTC (2026-07-17) · approx. 5:55 PM UTC+11 local
On July 17, 2026 at 06:55 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 56 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -9.3208°, 159.3733°. This earthquake was detected by 28 seismic stations with excellent 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
159.3733°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Malango, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 56 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands on July 17, 2026 at 06:55 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -9.3208°, 159.3733°, which is 56 km NW of Malango, 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: us7000t2pq). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 17, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 56 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands — July 17, 2026. Retrieved July 24, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000t2pq/