Reviewed by USGS30y ago
M7.4 earthquake in Fiji region
Monday, August 5, 1996, 22:38:22 UTC · 20.690°S, 178.310°W
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck in Fiji region on Monday, August 5, 1996, 22:38:22 UTC, at a depth of 550.2 km (deep). It is the strongest earthquake within 300 km since an M7.6 on March 9, 1994.
- Magnitude
- 7.4
- Major · mwc
- Depth
- 550 km
- Deep
- Felt reports
- 0
- Did You Feel It?
- Est. shaking
- —
- No ShakeMap
- PAGER alert
- None
- Not issued
- Tsunami
- No flag
- USGS feed
Outlined circle: this earthquakeDashed circle: 200 km aftershock search area
In context
How big was it, and why here?
Energy released
1.9 megatons of TNT
That is about 126 times the Hiroshima bomb. It released about 3,981 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0.
Tectonic setting
212 km
from the nearest mapped plate boundary, between the Tonga and Australian plates. Earthquakes this far from a boundary happen on faults inside a plate, often less frequently but sometimes strongly.
Depth: deep
550 km
Deep earthquakes (over 300 km) happen deep inside subducting plates. They rarely cause damage, but can be felt faintly over very large distances.
Did You Feel It?
Where it was felt
No “Did You Feel It?” reports have been published for this event yet. If you felt it, you can add your report on the USGS website.
I felt it — report to USGS ↗USGS PAGER estimate
Who was exposed to shaking
USGS publishes PAGER impact estimates for significant earthquakes, usually within an hour. No PAGER estimate is available for this event.
After the main event
Aftershocks within 200 km
USGS lists 14 M2.5+ earthquakes within 200 km in the following 30 days; the largest was M5.0 on August 10, 1996. Most nearby activity right after a large earthquake is aftershocks, which usually become less frequent over days and weeks.
- 4.0Fiji region30y ago · 86 km W of this epicenter
- 4.8Fiji region30y ago · 59 km W of this epicenter
- 4.0277 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga30y ago · 67 km NE of this epicenter
- 4.5297 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga30y ago · 82 km NE of this epicenter
- 4.4286 km SE of Levuka, Fiji30y ago · 98 km NW of this epicenter
- 4.2236 km W of Haveluloto, Tonga30y ago · 112 km SE of this epicenter
- 4.5Fiji region30y ago · 130 km N of this epicenter
- 5.0Fiji region30y ago · 111 km N of this epicenter
Regional history
Past M5+ earthquakes within 300 km
USGS lists 963 M5.0+ earthquakes within 300 km before this one (catalog from 1900; older records are less complete). The strongest:
- 7.8159 km W of Pangai, TongaDecember 14, 1950 · 277 km NE of this epicenter
- 7.8Fiji regionJanuary 1, 1919 · 154 km N of this epicenter
- 7.6178 km E of Levuka, FijiFebruary 22, 1909 · 287 km N of this epicenter
- 7.6240 km E of Levuka, FijiMarch 9, 1994 · 295 km N of this epicenter
- 7.5262 km WNW of Haveluloto, TongaMay 21, 1962 · 111 km NE of this epicenter
- 7.4Fiji regionSeptember 28, 1957 · 17 km N of this epicenter
- 7.3227 km WNW of Haveluloto, TongaApril 16, 1937 · 104 km E of this epicenter
- 7.3Fiji regionMay 25, 1944 · 153 km SW of this epicenter
History · NOAA
Deadliest earthquakes in this area
NOAA’s significant-earthquake database lists 6 damaging, deadly or tsunami-generating earthquakes within 300 km of this epicenter since 1700. The most severe:
- 1937M8.1
Fiji Islands
16 Apr 1937 · 163 km away
- 1919M7.8
Fiji Islands
1 Jan 1919 · 154 km away
tsunami
- 1950M7.7
Tonga Islands
14 Dec 1950 · 275 km away · intensity VI
- 1994M7.6
Fiji Islands
9 Mar 1994 · 295 km away
- 1957M7.5
Fiji Islands
28 Sep 1957 · 38 km away
- 1907
S Of Tonga
1907 · 273 km away
tsunami
NOAA NCEI Global Significant Earthquake Database. Historical figures are estimates; older records are incomplete.