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M5.4 Depth: 556.8 km

M5.4 Earthquake near Lau, Eastern (Fiji)

UTC time: 2026-08-19 18:45:30 UTC Local time: —
M5.4 earthquake near Lau on Aug 19, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.4 Earthquake near Lau, Eastern (Fiji) · 2026-08-19 18:45:30 UTC

About this earthquake

On August 19, 2026 at 18:45 UTC, a magnitude M5.4 earthquake occurred near Lau, Eastern (Fiji). At roughly 557 km, the focus was very deep, so surface shaking tends to be weaker. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

Magnitude
M5.4
Depth
556.8 km
UTC time
2026-08-19 18:45:30 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Fiji
State
Eastern
City
Lau
County
Lau
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-17.80490, -178.66380
Temperature
22.3°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 556.8 km (Deep) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 556.8 km
Deep
556.8 km
556.8 km — close to the regional average (574.4 km)
Regional average: 574.4 km
Why depth matters

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

Depth classes per USGS

Estimated impact

Green No or minimal impact expected.

Ground shaking

II
Weak · Intensity (MMI) II
Felt by a few, no damage.

Tectonic context

Located on the Australia Plate.
Near the boundary Niuafoʻou ↔ Australia · about 205 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Labasa257.1 kmNW27'949

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Taveuni
    Distance: 175 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'241 m ·Last eruption: 1550 ·Fiji
  • Lobster
    Distance: 374 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'500 m ·Tonga
  • Niuafo'ou
    Distance: 406 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 260 m ·Last eruption: 1946 ·Tonga
  • Dugong
    Distance: 410 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'170 m ·Tonga
  • Lateiki
    Distance: 428 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 43 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga
  • Home Reef
    Distance: 431 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -10 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Tonga

Comparison of seismic sources

5 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.0 to M5.5.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.2558.0 km16.3 km
GFZM5.5566.0 km18.1 km
ISCM5.4556.0 km0.0 km
USGSM5.4556.8 km0.0 km
RESIFM5.0565.8 km12.2 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#17
Earlier events M≥4256
Earlier events M≥542
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 UTC62.8 kmFiji Islands Region M5.72026-05-15 21:14:31 UTC62.4 km M5.62026-08-12 22:13:34 UTC15.1 kmLau M5.62025-11-08 04:15:04 UTC128.3 kmFiji region M5.62025-08-26 01:32:48 UTC21.8 kmFIJI REGION

Historic earthquake map · Fiji

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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)
637
Country (24h)
Fiji
0
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