M5.4 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.4 Earthquake near SAMOA ISLANDS REGION

UTC time: 2026-03-27 23:35:09 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.4 earthquake was recorded near SAMOA ISLANDS REGION on March 27, 2026 at 23:35 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by EMSC.

Details

Magnitude
M5.4
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-03-27 23:35:09 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-15.92080, -172.43850
Temperature
28.0°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 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
Apia243.1 kmN40'407

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Curacoa
    Distance: 136 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga
  • Tafahi
    Distance: 140 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 546 m ·Tonga
  • West Mata
    Distance: 168 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 178 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 201 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • Upolu
    Distance: 234 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'100 m ·Samoa

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

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

First 6 hours0
First 24 hours1
First 72 hours4
Strongest subsequent eventM6.3

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#20
Earlier events M≥474
Earlier events M≥544
Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
571
Country (24h)
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

Share