M6.5 Earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — 13 April 2025
A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.5 was recorded near south of the Fiji Islands on , at a focal depth of 174.0 km.
Time (UTC): 2025-04-13 20:03:00
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 6.5 (strong)
Focal depth: 174.0 km (intermediate)
Epicentre: -26.3000, -177.8000
Location: south of the Fiji Islands
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Available
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake radiates roughly 84,802 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 650, which meets 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 -26.3000, -177.8000. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 6.5 earthquake 5 km north of here on 13 April 2025.
Why the 174 km depth matters
At 174 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
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 produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
2 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 6.5.
72 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.5 event near south of the Fiji Islands on 13 April 2025. This M6.5 event released a comparable amount of energy to 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 April 2025 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M6.5 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (5 km N)
- M4.7 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (20 km SW)
- M5.6 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (30 km E)
- M4.6 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (31 km NE)
- M5.1 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (38 km ENE)
- M5.1 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (56 km ESE)
- M6.5 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (60 km WNW)
- M4.4 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (74 km SW)
- M4.6 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (74 km ENE)
- M4.2 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands — (89 km WSW)
Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide
- M6.7 earthquake near southeast of the Loyalty Islands —
- M6.3 earthquake near southeast of the Loyalty Islands —
- M6.5 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea —
- M6.4 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea —
- M6.4 earthquake near South Sandwich Islands region —
- M6.7 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines —
- M6.5 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines —
- M6.6 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 6.5 earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground. A magnitude 6.5 earthquake radiates roughly 84,802 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands?
At 174 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
Was the M6.5 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands 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 produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.
Have there been aftershocks?
2 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 6.5.
How often do earthquakes happen near south of the Fiji Islands?
72 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.5 event near south of the Fiji Islands on 13 April 2025. This M6.5 event released a comparable amount of energy to that event.