Significant M5.4 Earthquake struck on Thursday Morning in the South Pacific Ocean 259km from Labasa (Fiji).

Written by Earthquakelist.org on August 19th, 2026. Last updated August 20th, 2026.

In the early morning of Thursday August 20th, 2026, a significant MAG-5.4 earthquake hit in the South Pacific Ocean 259 kilometer from Labasa, Fiji. Such earthquakes in regions like this usually have a minimal impact on people and the economy.

Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the South Pacific Ocean, 172 kilometers (107 mi) off the coast of Fiji, 259 kilometer south-east of Labasa in Northern. The center of this earthquake had a very deep depth of 557 km. Deep earthquakes usually have less impact than shallower earthquakes of similar strenght.

Date and Time:	Aug 20, 2026 06:45 (Fiji Time) - Aug 19, 2026 18:45 Universal Time.
Location:	259 km SE of Labasa, Northern, Fiji. Coordinates 17°48'18"S 178°39'50"W.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.4 Detected by 8 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.11 .
Depth:	557 km (346 mi) A very deep depth.
Max. Intensity:	II Weak On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Tsunami very unlikely Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 at depths deeper than 100km are very unlikely to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Not many people felt this earthquake

An estimated 2 thousand have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.

An estimated 1,530 people were exposed to level II. At this level, very weak shaking and no damage can be expected. Intensity level I was experienced by the majority of people (around 60 thousand). In their region, not noticeable and no damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Fiji .

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
57,870	I	Not noticable	None
1,530	II	Very weak	None
0	III	Weak	Probably none
0	IV	Light	Likely none
0	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in Fiji . Located 259 kilometer (161 mi) south-east of the epicenter of this earthquake, Labasa (Northern, Fiji) is the nearest significant population center.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place
259 km (161 mi) NW from epicenter	Labasa Northern, Fiji.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is II.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Aftershocks detected

Before this earthquake struck, 1 smaller foreshock occurred. Roughly 3 days before this earthquake, a foreshock measuring MAG-4.9 was detected nearby this earthquake.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Foreshock	M 4.9	3 days earlier Aug 17, 2026 12:08 (Fiji Time)	12 km (7 mi) NW from Main Shock.
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 5.4	Aug 20, 2026 06:45 (Fiji Time)	-

More earthquakes coming?

Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since July 5th, 2026, when a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit 241 km (150 mi) further south. An even stronger magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck on August 19th, 2018.

In total, 108 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.4 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every month.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

For a serious tsunami to occur, earthquakes usually need to have a magnitude of at least 6.5 and occur at a shallow depth of maximum 100km. Neither are the case with this earthquake. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.4. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 557 km (346 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 20/08/26 09:48 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.