M5.1 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.1 Earthquake near Lau, Eastern (Fiji)

UTC time: 2026-05-19 03:16:07 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.1 earthquake was recorded near Lau, Eastern (Fiji) on May 19, 2026 at 03:16 UTC. With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

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

Details

Magnitude

M5.1

Depth

10.0 km

UTC time

2026-05-19 03:16:07 UTC

Local time

—

Country

Fiji

State

Eastern

City

Lau

County

Lau

Source

resif

Coordinates

-17.45686, -178.32033

Temperature

25.8°C

Map

Depth profile

Shallow

10 km

10 km — shallower than the regional average (573.2 km)

Regional average: 573.2 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

Labasa271.3 kmNW27'949

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

Taveuni

Distance: 188 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'241 m ·Last eruption: 1550 ·Fiji
Lobster

Distance: 321 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'500 m ·Tonga
Niuafo'ou

Distance: 353 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 260 m ·Last eruption: 1946 ·Tonga
Dugong

Distance: 357 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'170 m ·Tonga
Home Reef

Distance: 412 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -10 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Tonga
Lateiki

Distance: 412 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 43 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

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

First 6 hours2

First 24 hours2

First 72 hours2

Strongest subsequent eventM5.0

M4.62026-05-19 03:17:03 UTC53.8 kmLau M4.92026-05-19 03:17:04 UTC58.5 kmLau M4.22026-05-24 10:11:09 UTC65.1 kmLau M4.92026-05-26 20:35:10 UTC47.4 kmLau M4.72026-05-26 20:35:11 UTC47.9 kmLau M4.72026-06-01 05:16:15 UTC61.6 kmFiji Islands Region M5.02026-06-01 05:16:16 UTC75.2 km264 km E of Levuka, Fiji M5.02026-06-01 05:16:16 UTC72.1 kmFIJI REGION M4.92026-06-02 13:57:46 UTC49.0 kmLau M4.62026-06-02 13:57:46 UTC58.4 kmLau M4.62026-06-02 13:57:48 UTC61.1 kmLau M4.52026-06-12 14:52:29 UTC54.8 kmLau

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#24

Earlier events M≥4237

Earlier events M≥541

Compared since2025-01-01

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 UTC33.2 kmFiji Islands Region M5.72026-05-15 21:14:31 UTC32.6 km M5.62025-11-08 04:15:04 UTC132.9 kmFiji region M5.62025-08-26 01:32:48 UTC51.2 kmFIJI REGION M5.62025-08-26 01:32:39 UTC51.2 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)

623

Country (24h)