Earthquakes in the Solomon Islands — December 2024

15 earthquakes were recorded in the Solomon Islands during December 2024, an average of 0.5 per day.

15 reached magnitude 4 or above and 9 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 25 km.

The month's largest event in the Solomon Islands was a magnitude 5.4 earthquake near Lata, Solomon Islands on 11 December 2024 at 16:44 UTC. A magnitude 5.4 earthquake radiates roughly 1,898 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is well above the the Solomon Islands monthly average of 6 events over the period we cover — an unusually active month, and up from the 4 recorded the previous month.

100% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 0% intermediate (70–300 km) and 0% deep-focus (over 300 km). Almost everything here is crustal. That is characteristic of transform faulting or continental deformation rather than subduction — and it means shaking at the surface is strong for the magnitudes involved.

By band, the catalogue holds 6 in the magnitude 4 range, 9 in the magnitude 5 range.

Activity peaked on 12 December, when 4 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M5.4 near Lata, Solomon Islands on 11 December at 39 km; M5.4 near Lata, Solomon Islands on 20 December at 25 km; M5.3 near Lata, Solomon Islands on 12 December at 10 km.

That is 148% above the 6 events the Solomon Islands averages per month across the 22 months on record.