M5.1 Earthquake near Buala, Solomon Islands — 06 August 2026
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.1 was recorded near Buala, Solomon Islands on , with an epicentre 110 km west of Buala, at a focal depth of 54.3 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-08-06 13:42:11
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 5.1 (moderate)
Focal depth: 54.3 km (shallow)
Epicentre: -8.0025, 158.6000
Location: 110 km W of Buala, Solomon Islands
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area.
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake radiates roughly 674 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 400, 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 -8.0025, 158.6000 — 110 km west of Buala. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.9 earthquake 9 km west-northwest of here on 10 April 2025.
Why the 54 km depth matters
At 54 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
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 M5.1 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; 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
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the 7 hours since this event.
17 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.3 event near Malango on 01 May 2025. This M5.1 event released about 2.0 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 August 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.9 earthquake near Buala, Solomon Islands — (9 km WNW)
- M4.8 earthquake near Buala, Solomon Islands — (26 km SSW)
- M4.7 earthquake near Malango, Solomon Islands — (112 km S)
- M4.9 earthquake near Gizo, Solomon Islands — (119 km SSW)
- M5.0 earthquake near Buala, Solomon Islands — (121 km SE)
- M5.0 earthquake near Malango, Solomon Islands — (122 km S)
- M4.9 earthquake near Gizo, Solomon Islands — (141 km SSW)
- M5.1 earthquake near Buala, Solomon Islands — (149 km ESE)
- M4.6 earthquake near Gizo, Solomon Islands — (152 km WSW)
- M5.2 earthquake near Malango, Solomon Islands — (158 km SSE)
Other magnitude 5 earthquakes worldwide
- M5.3 earthquake near Huayucachi, Peru —
- M4.9 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea —
- M4.9 earthquake near Port Orford, Oregon —
- M4.8 earthquake near Shi Yomi, India —
- M4.9 earthquake near Honmachi, Japan —
- M4.9 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines —
- M5.2 earthquake near Ialibu, Papua New Guinea —
- M5.3 earthquake near Tobelo, Indonesia —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 5.1 earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area. A magnitude 5.1 earthquake radiates roughly 674 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Buala?
At 54 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M5.1 earthquake near Buala 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 can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
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 M5.1 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; 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?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the 7 hours since this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near Buala?
17 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.3 event near Malango on 01 May 2025. This M5.1 event released about 2.0 times less energy than that event.