M4.4 Earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — 06 September 2025
A light earthquake of magnitude 4.4 was recorded near Levuka, Fiji on , with an epicentre 206 km east-northeast of Levuka, at a focal depth of 569.0 km. It ranked as the 10th strongest of 11 earthquakes recorded in Fiji in the preceding 30 days.
Time (UTC): 2025-09-06 01:03:35
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 4.4 (light)
Focal depth: 569.0 km (deep)
Epicentre: -17.5238, -178.8250
Location: 206 km ENE of Levuka, Fiji
Country: Fiji
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items.
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake radiates roughly 60 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 298, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at -17.5238, -178.8250 — 206 km east-northeast of Levuka. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.9 earthquake 7 km east of here on 26 May 2026.
Why the 569 km depth matters
At 569 km this was a deep-focus earthquake, occurring well inside the subducting slab rather than in the crust. Deep events are rarely damaging even at large magnitudes, though they can be felt over very long distances.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its deep focus normally weakens surface shaking while spreading perceptible motion over a broad area.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.4 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 569 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
3 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.6.
207 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.7 event near Labasa on 19 December 2025. This M4.4 event released about 89 times less energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the September 2025 worldwide record, and of earthquakes in Fiji during September 2025. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.9 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (7 km E)
- M4.5 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (14 km S)
- M4.9 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (17 km SSE)
- M4.2 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (19 km SSE)
- M4.7 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (20 km SSE)
- M4.2 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (21 km SE)
- M5.0 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (23 km SE)
- M4.3 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (27 km SE)
- M4.6 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (29 km SSE)
- M4.5 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji — (35 km SSE)
Other recent earthquakes in Fiji
- M4.6 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji —
- M4.8 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji —
- M5.4 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji —
- M5.0 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji —
- M4.4 earthquake near Fiji region —
- M4.3 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji —
- M5.1 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji —
- M4.9 earthquake near Levuka, Fiji —
- M4.7 earthquake near Fiji region —
- M4.9 earthquake near Fiji region —
Other magnitude 4 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.5 earthquake near Houma, Tonga —
- M4.5 earthquake near Tinogasta, Argentina —
- M4.4 earthquake near Sipí, Colombia —
- M4.7 earthquake near Ruteng, Indonesia —
- M4.6 earthquake near Ruteng, Indonesia —
- M4.2 earthquake near San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina —
- M4.7 earthquake near Ruteng, Indonesia —
- M4.5 earthquake near Coihueco, Chile —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 4.4 earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake radiates roughly 60 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Levuka?
At 569 km this was a deep-focus earthquake, occurring well inside the subducting slab rather than in the crust. Deep events are rarely damaging even at large magnitudes, though they can be felt over very long distances.
Was the M4.4 earthquake near Levuka felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its deep focus normally weakens surface shaking while spreading perceptible motion over a broad area.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.4 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 569 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
3 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.6.
How often do earthquakes happen near Levuka?
207 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.7 event near Labasa on 19 December 2025. This M4.4 event released about 89 times less energy than that event.