M5.2 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.2 Earthquake near Southeast of Loyalty Islands

UTC time: 2026-01-20 04:39:07 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.2 earthquake was recorded near Southeast of Loyalty Islands on January 20, 2026 at 04:39 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The data is provided by GFZ and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Details

Magnitude

M5.2

Depth

10.0 km

UTC time

2026-01-20 04:39:07 UTC

Local time

—

Country

—

Source

gfz

Coordinates

-22.46000, 170.17000

Temperature

28.5°C

Map

Depth profile

Shallow

10 km

Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation

Mont-Dore371.2 kmW24'680

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

Matthew Island

Distance: 119 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 177 m ·Last eruption: 1956 ·France - claimed by Vanuatu
Gemini-Oscostar

Distance: 167 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1996 ·Vanuatu
Hunter Island

Distance: 193 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 297 m ·Last eruption: 1903 ·France - claimed by Vanuatu
Yasur

Distance: 334 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 361 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
Traitor's Head

Distance: 423 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 817 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Vanuatu

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours0

First 24 hours3

First 72 hours3

Strongest subsequent eventM5.1

M4.82026-01-20 13:42:45 UTC10.3 km252 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia M5.02026-01-20 13:42:47 UTC60.7 kmSoutheast of Loyalty Islands M5.12026-01-20 23:29:59 UTC31.1 kmSoutheast of Loyalty Islands

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#8

Earlier events M≥453

Earlier events M≥518

Compared since2025-01-01

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

M6.12025-08-16 12:08:26 UTC96.3 kmSoutheast of Loyalty Islands M6.02026-01-19 13:02:20 UTC9.1 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) WSW (az= 243.6) from Fortuna Foothills, AZ M5.92025-08-16 12:08:26 UTC101.1 kmNew Caledonia [Sea] M5.62025-08-16 12:08:24 UTC103.7 kmsoutheast of the Loyalty Islands M5.62025-08-16 12:08:25 UTC104.7 kmEvent of magnitude 5.6, near of North Shore (Monde)

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)

653

Country (24h)

—

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