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M5.0 Depth: 564.4 km

M5.0 Earthquake near Lau, Eastern (Fiji)

UTC time: 2026-08-17 00:08:07 UTC Local time: —
M5.0 earthquake near Lau on Aug 17, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.0 Earthquake near Lau, Eastern (Fiji) · 2026-08-17 00:08:07 UTC

About this earthquake

On August 17, 2026 at 00:08 UTC, a magnitude M5.0 earthquake occurred near Lau, Eastern (Fiji). At roughly 564 km, the focus was very deep, so surface shaking tends to be weaker. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

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

Details

Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
564.4 km
UTC time
2026-08-17 00:08:07 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Fiji
State
Eastern
City
Lau
County
Lau
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-17.68960, -178.69200
Temperature
25.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 564.4 km (Deep) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 564.4 km
Deep
564.4 km
564.4 km — close to the regional average (574.4 km)
Regional average: 574.4 km
Why depth matters

Deep quakes are felt over very large areas but rarely cause surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Tectonic context

Located on the Australia Plate.
Near the boundary Niuafoʻou ↔ Australia · about 197 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Labasa249.4 kmNW27'949

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Taveuni
    Distance: 165 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'241 m ·Last eruption: 1550 ·Fiji
  • Lobster
    Distance: 367 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'500 m ·Tonga
  • Niuafo'ou
    Distance: 400 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 260 m ·Last eruption: 1946 ·Tonga
  • Dugong
    Distance: 404 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'170 m ·Tonga
  • Lateiki
    Distance: 436 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 43 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga
  • Home Reef
    Distance: 438 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -10 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Tonga

Comparison of seismic sources

3 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.0 to M5.5.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.0564.4 km0.0 km
GFZM5.5564.0 km6.5 km
USGSM5.0564.4 km0.0 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#31
Earlier events M≥4252
Earlier events M≥541
Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.72026-05-15 21:14:31 UTC69.2 kmFiji Islands Region M5.72026-05-15 21:14:31 UTC68.9 km M5.62026-08-12 22:13:34 UTC21.4 kmLau M5.62025-11-08 04:15:04 UTC134.0 kmFiji region M5.62025-08-26 01:32:48 UTC24.8 kmFIJI REGION

Historic earthquake map · Fiji

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Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · Fiji

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
637
Country (24h)
Fiji
0
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