M5.0 Depth: 579.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near Lau, Eastern (Fiji)

UTC time: 2026-02-28 05:35:23 UTC Local time: —

M5.0 earthquake near Lau on Feb 28, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24 — M5.0 Earthquake near Lau, Eastern (Fiji) · 2026-02-28 05:35:23 UTC

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.0 earthquake was recorded near Lau, Eastern (Fiji) on February 28, 2026 at 05:35 UTC. At roughly 579 km, the focus was very deep, so surface shaking tends to be weaker. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by GFZ.

Details

Magnitude

M5.0

Depth

579.0 km

UTC time

2026-02-28 05:35:23 UTC

Local time

—

Country

Fiji

State

Eastern

City

Lau

County

Lau

Source

gfz

Coordinates

-17.97000, -178.34000

Temperature

28.0°C

Map

Depth profile

Deep

579 km

579 km — close to the regional average (574.7 km)

Regional average: 574.7 km

Why depth matters

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

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation

Labasa297.7 kmNW27'949

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

Taveuni

Distance: 213 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'241 m ·Last eruption: 1550 ·Fiji
Lobster

Distance: 366 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'500 m ·Tonga
Lateiki

Distance: 390 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 43 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga
Niuafo'ou

Distance: 391 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 260 m ·Last eruption: 1946 ·Tonga
Home Reef

Distance: 393 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -10 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Tonga
Dugong

Distance: 397 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'170 m ·Tonga

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

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

First 6 hours1

First 24 hours1

First 72 hours1

Strongest subsequent eventM5.2

M4.22026-02-28 11:04:40 UTC32.8 kmLau M4.32026-03-16 13:10:22 UTC37.9 km265 km E of Levuka, Fiji M4.52026-03-16 13:10:24 UTC22.6 kmFiji Islands Region M4.52026-03-17 11:58:56 UTC56.6 kmFiji Islands Region M4.72026-03-19 23:57:23 UTC69.9 kmFIJI REGION M5.22026-03-22 18:09:23 UTC43.7 km219 km E of Levuka, Fiji M5.22026-03-22 18:09:26 UTC50.2 kmFiji Islands Region M4.72026-03-22 18:09:27 UTC52.4 kmFIJI REGION M4.42026-03-28 12:01:20 UTC36.6 kmLau

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#20

Earlier events M≥4209

Earlier events M≥525

Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.62025-11-08 04:15:04 UTC85.8 kmFiji region M5.62025-08-26 01:32:48 UTC24.7 kmFIJI REGION M5.62025-08-26 01:32:39 UTC24.8 km227 km E of Levuka, Fiji M5.62025-07-02 07:15:29 UTC75.2 kmFIJI REGION M5.62025-07-02 07:15:28 UTC82.6 kmFiji Islands Region

Historic earthquake map · Fiji

Open history map

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)

622

Country (24h)