List of earthquakes in the Solomon Islands archipelago

This is a list of earthquakes in the Solomon Islands archipelago, which includes the nation state of Solomon Islands and Bougainville within Papua New Guinea. Only earthquakes over magnitude 8 are included unless they result in damage and/or casualties. Earthquakes from other regions that were strongly felt in the area are also be included.

Background

The Australian Woodlark, Solomon Sea and Pacific Plates are converging at a rate of 97 mm/yr.[1] The earthquake was a result of interaction between the Australian and Pacific Plates along a subduction zone. Subduction of the Australian Plate has also given rise to volcanoes in the region. This region of the world lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where 90 percent of all earthquake and volcanic activity is concentrated here.[2]

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are adobe walls and informal construction.[3]

List of earthquakes

Date Region Mag. MMI Deaths Injuries Comments Ref
2022-11-22 Guadalcanal 7.0 Mw  VII 4 Moderate damage [4][5]
2021-10-15 Rendova 6.4 Mw  VI 1 Moderate damage [6][7][8]
2017-01-22 Bougainville 7.9 Mw  IX 3 2 Damage/power outages [9][10]
2016-12-17 Bougainville 7.9 Mw  VIII Power outages [11]
2016-12-08 Makira 7.8 Mw  VIII 1 Major damage/tsunami [12][13]
2014-04-11 Bougainville 7.1 Mw  VII 1 Major damage [14][15]
2013-02-06 Nendö 8.0 Mw  VIII 14 17 Major damage/tsunami [16][17]
2012-07-25 Guadalcanal 6.4 Mw  VII Severe damage [18]
2010-01-03 Rendova 7.1 Mw  VI Several Major damage/tsunami [19]
2007-04-01 Ghizo 8.1 Mw  VIII 112 Major damage/tsunami [20][21]
1997-04-21 Torba 7.7 Mw  VII Tsunami [22]
1996-04-29 Bougainville 7.2 Mw  VIII 1 Moderate damage [23]
1995-08-16 Bougainville 7.7 Mw  VII Minor damage/landslides [24]
1988-08-10 Makira 7.6 Mw  VII 1 Tsunami [25]
1984-02-07 Guadalcanal 7.6 Mw  VIII Minor damage/Landslides [26]
1983-03-18 New Britain 7.6 Mw  VII Moderate damage/landslides [27]
1977-04-20 Guadalcanal 6.7 Mw  VII 34 Major damage/tsunami [28][29]
1977-04-21 Guadalcanal 7.5 Mw  VII 18 1 Major damage [30][31]
1975-07-20 Bougainville 7.9 Mw VIII Major damage/tsunami [32]
1975-02-04 Bougainville 7.1 Mw  IX Minor damage/tsunami [33]
1971-07-26 New Ireland 8.1 Mw  VI 3 5 Moderate damage/tsunami [34][35]
1971-07-14 8.0 Mw  IX [36]
1959-08-17 Rendova 7.0 Mw  VI Major damage [37]
1939-04-30 Guadalcanal 7.8 Mw  VII 12 Moderate damage/tsunami [38][39]
1939-01-30 Bougainville 7.8 Mw  VII 5 101 Moderate damage [40][41]
1931-10-03 Makira 7.9 Mw  VI 50 Major damage/tsunami [42][43]
1919-05-06 Bougainville 7.8 Mw  VII Minor damage [44][45]
Note: The inclusion criteria for adding events are based on WikiProject Earthquakes' notability guideline that was developed for stand alone articles. The principles described also apply to lists. In summary, only damaging, injurious, or deadly events should be recorded.

References

  1. ^ Kaustubh Thirumalai, Frederick W. Taylor, Chuan-Chou Shen, Luc L. Lavier, Cliff Frohlich, Laura M. Wallace, Chung-Che Wu, Hailong Sun & Alison K. Papabatu (30 June 2015). "Variable Holocene deformation above a shallow subduction zone extremely close to the trench". Nature Communications. 6: 7607. Bibcode:2015NatCo...6.7607T. doi:10.1038/ncomms8607. PMC 4491809. PMID 26123872. S2CID 8275538.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Hanna, O'Sullivan, Jason, Donnie (8 December 2016). "Solomon Islands tsunami threat over after 7.8 quake". CNN. Retrieved 1 December 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "PAGER". US Geological Survey. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  4. ^ "M 7.0 - 18 km SW of Malango, Solomon Islands". earthquake.usgs.gov. 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  5. ^ Government, Solomon Islands (23 November 2022). "ISO confirms no Significant Damage". Einnews.com.
  6. ^ "M 6.4 - 146 km WSW of Buala, Solomon Islands". earthquake.usgs.gov. United States Geological Survey.
  7. ^ Pacific, Loop (2021-10-15). "Houses collapse following 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Solomons". Loop PNG. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  8. ^ "Houses collapse following 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Solomons". Adventist World. 2021-10-15. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  9. ^ "M 7.9 - 35km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea". earthquake.usgs.gov. USGS. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  10. ^ Aloysius Laukai (24 January 2017). "240117QUAKE HITS BOUGAINVILLE". NEW DAWN ON BOUGAINVILLE. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  11. ^ "M 7.9 - 54km E of Taron, Papua New Guinea". earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  12. ^ "M 7.8 – 69km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands". US Geological Survey. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Solomon Islands: Earthquake – Dec 2016". Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  14. ^ "M7.1 - 56km WSW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea". United States Geological Survey. April 11, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  15. ^ "Authorities assess earthquake damage in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands". ABC News. 2014-04-14.
  16. ^ "M 8.0 - 75 km W of Lata, Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. February 6, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  17. ^ Nicole Pryor And Agencies (2013-02-07). "Airport damage hits Solomons quake cleanup". Fairfax New Zealand Limited. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
  18. ^ "M 6.4 - 1 km E of Malango, Solomon Islands". earthquake.usgs.gov. USGS. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  19. ^ "M 7.1 - 94 km SE of Gizo, Solomon Islands". earthquake.usgs.gov. USGS. 3 January 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  20. ^ "M 8.1 - 45 km SSE of Gizo, Solomon Islands". earthquake.usgs.gov. USGS. 3 January 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  21. ^ "Report: Tsunami leaves thousands homeless in the hills". News Limited. 2 April 2007. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  22. ^ USGS. "M 7.7 - Santa Cruz Islands". United States Geological Survey.
  23. ^ "M 7.2 - 58 km WSW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea".
  24. ^ "M 7.7 - Panguna, Papua New Guinea".
  25. ^ "M 7.6 - Solomon Islands".
  26. ^ "M 7.6 - Solomon Islands".
  27. ^ "M 7.6 - 157 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea". United States Geological Survey. March 18, 1983. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  28. ^ "M 6.7 - Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. April 20, 1977. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  29. ^ "Significant Earthquake: SOLOMON ISLANDS". National Geophysical Data Center. April 20, 1977. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  30. ^ "M 7.5 - Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. April 21, 1977. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  31. ^ "Significant Earthquake: SOLOMON ISLANDS". National Geophysical Data Center. April 21, 1977. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  32. ^ "M 7.9 - Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea". United States Geological Survey. July 20, 1975. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  33. ^ "M 7.1 - Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. February 1, 1974. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  34. ^ "M 8.1 - New Ireland region, Papua New Guinea". United States Geological Survey. July 26, 1971. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  35. ^ "Significant Earthquake: PAPUA NEW GUINEA: NEW IRELAND: BOUGAINVILLE". National Geophysical Data Center. July 14, 1971. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  36. ^ "M 8.0 - New Ireland region, Papua New Guinea". United States Geological Survey. July 14, 1971. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  37. ^ "M 7.0 - Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. August 17, 1959. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  38. ^ "M 7.8 - Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. April 30, 1939. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  39. ^ "Significant Earthquake: SOLOMON ISLANDS". National Geophysical Data Center. April 30, 1939. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  40. ^ "M 7.8 - Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. January 30, 1939. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  41. ^ "Significant Earthquake: PAPUA NEW GUINEA: BOUGAINVILLE ISLAND". National Geophysical Data Center. January 30, 1939. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  42. ^ "M 7.9 - Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. October 3, 1931. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  43. ^ "Significant Earthquake: SOLOMON ISLANDS: SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND". National Geophysical Data Center. October 3, 1931. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  44. ^ "M 7.8 - New Ireland region, Papua New Guinea". United States Geological Survey. May 6, 1919. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  45. ^ "Significant Earthquake: PAPUA NEW GUINEA: SOLOMON ISLANDS". National Geophysical Data Center. May 6, 1919. Retrieved December 12, 2015.