M4.8 Earthquake 178 km SE of Gizo, Solomon Islands — August 31, 2026
2026-08-31 20:00:29 UTC (2026-08-31) · approx. 7:00 AM UTC+11 local
On August 31, 2026 at 20:00 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 178 km SE of Gizo, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -9.0429°, 158.1610°. This earthquake was detected by 35 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
158.1610°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Gizo, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 178 km SE of Gizo, Solomon Islands on August 31, 2026 at 20:00 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 -9.0429°, 158.1610°, which is 178 km SE of Gizo, Solomon Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000td6k). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 31, 2026). M4.8 Earthquake 178 km SE of Gizo, Solomon Islands — August 31, 2026. Retrieved September 11, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000td6k/