M5.1 Depth: 575.0 km

M5.1 Earthquake near Lau, Eastern (Fiji)

UTC time: 2026-05-15 22:20:24 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.1 earthquake was recorded near Lau, Eastern (Fiji) on May 15, 2026 at 22:20 UTC. At roughly 575 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

M5.1

Depth

575.0 km

UTC time

2026-05-15 22:20:24 UTC

Local time

—

Country

Fiji

State

Eastern

City

Lau

County

Lau

Source

gfz

Coordinates

-17.69000, -178.52000

Temperature

26.6°C

Map

Depth profile

Deep

575 km

575 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

Labasa264.8 kmNW27'949

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

Taveuni

Distance: 180 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'241 m ·Last eruption: 1550 ·Fiji
Lobster

Distance: 354 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'500 m ·Tonga
Niuafo'ou

Distance: 386 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 260 m ·Last eruption: 1946 ·Tonga
Dugong

Distance: 390 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'170 m ·Tonga
Lateiki

Distance: 419 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 43 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga
Home Reef

Distance: 421 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 hours1

First 24 hours1

First 72 hours1

Strongest subsequent eventM5.1

M5.12026-05-15 22:20:25 UTC19.8 kmLau M5.12026-05-19 03:16:07 UTC33.5 kmLau M4.62026-05-19 03:17:03 UTC22.2 kmLau M4.92026-05-19 03:17:04 UTC25.6 kmLau M4.22026-05-24 10:11:09 UTC46.6 kmLau M4.92026-05-26 20:35:10 UTC32.2 kmLau M4.72026-05-26 20:35:11 UTC33.9 kmLau M4.72026-06-01 05:16:15 UTC43.1 kmFiji Islands Region M5.02026-06-01 05:16:16 UTC59.7 km264 km E of Levuka, Fiji M5.02026-06-01 05:16:16 UTC55.2 kmFIJI REGION M4.92026-06-02 13:57:46 UTC20.5 kmLau M4.62026-06-02 13:57:46 UTC34.0 kmLau

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#20

Earlier events M≥4228

Earlier events M≥534

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 UTC61.6 kmFiji Islands Region M5.72026-05-15 21:14:31 UTC61.2 km M5.62025-11-08 04:15:04 UTC121.8 kmFiji region M5.62025-08-26 01:32:48 UTC19.6 kmFIJI REGION M5.62025-08-26 01:32:39 UTC19.5 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)