M5.1 Depth: 581.0 km

M5.1 Earthquake near Lau, Eastern (Fiji)

UTC time: 2026-05-15 22:20:25 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On May 15, 2026 at 22:20 UTC, a magnitude M5.1 earthquake occurred near Lau, Eastern (Fiji). At roughly 581 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 EMSC.

Details

Magnitude

M5.1

Depth

581.0 km

UTC time

2026-05-15 22:20:25 UTC

Local time

—

Country

Fiji

State

Eastern

City

Lau

County

Lau

Source

emsc

Coordinates

-17.82310, -178.64480

Temperature

26.5°C

Map

Depth profile

Deep

581 km

581 km — close to the regional average (573.2 km)

Regional average: 573.2 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

Labasa262.0 kmNW27'949

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

Taveuni

Distance: 178 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'241 m ·Last eruption: 1550 ·Fiji
Lobster

Distance: 374 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'500 m ·Tonga
Niuafo'ou

Distance: 405 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 260 m ·Last eruption: 1946 ·Tonga
Dugong

Distance: 409 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'170 m ·Tonga
Lateiki

Distance: 426 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 43 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga
Home Reef

Distance: 428 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -10 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Tonga

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

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

First 6 hours0

First 24 hours0

First 72 hours0

Strongest subsequent eventM5.1

M5.12026-05-19 03:16:07 UTC53.3 kmLau M4.62026-05-19 03:17:03 UTC10.4 kmLau M4.92026-05-19 03:17:04 UTC8.0 kmLau M4.22026-05-24 10:11:09 UTC45.6 kmLau M4.92026-05-26 20:35:10 UTC36.3 kmLau M4.72026-05-26 20:35:11 UTC38.3 kmLau M4.72026-06-01 05:16:15 UTC42.9 kmFiji Islands Region M5.02026-06-01 05:16:16 UTC59.0 km264 km E of Levuka, Fiji M5.02026-06-01 05:16:16 UTC54.1 kmFIJI REGION M4.92026-06-02 13:57:46 UTC18.2 kmLau M4.62026-06-02 13:57:46 UTC30.4 kmLau M4.62026-06-02 13:57:48 UTC24.2 kmLau

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#20

Earlier events M≥4228

Earlier events M≥535

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 UTC80.1 kmFiji Islands Region M5.72026-05-15 21:14:31 UTC79.7 km M5.62025-11-08 04:15:04 UTC120.2 kmFiji region M5.62025-08-26 01:32:48 UTC11.4 kmFIJI REGION M5.62025-08-26 01:32:39 UTC11.4 km227 km E of Levuka, Fiji

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)

619

Country (24h)