Location:

Period:

24 Nov 2022 15:13:30 - 25 Nov 2022 13:46:54 (22 hours 33 minutes)

Volcanoes in 100km radius:

Gallego(61km), Savo(83km)

Earthquakes:

M 7.0+:

M 7.0; 18 km SW of Malango, Solomon Islands; (22 Nov 2022) (31km from the swarm center)

4 swarms found nearby.

2002

PS20020924.1(164.1km)

24 Sep

20 hours

9 earthquakes

PS20021001.1(188.9km)

1 Oct

7 hours

5 earthquakes

2016

PS20161220.1(105.3km)

20 Dec

19 hours

7 earthquakes

2022

PS20221122.1(44.9km)

22 Nov

1 day 5 hours

12 earthquakes

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Seismic Swarm Activity in the Solomon Islands: November 2022

The Solomon Islands region sits at a tectonically complex convergent margin where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Australian Plate along the Solomon Trench. This setting produces frequent moderate to large earthquakes, with hypocenters commonly ranging from shallow crustal depths to intermediate depths exceeding 100 km. The islands experience elevated seismicity due to ongoing plate convergence rates of approximately 80–100 mm per year, contributing to the broader Pacific Ring of Fire.

Between 15:13 UTC on 24 November 2022 and 13:46 UTC on 25 November 2022, a seismic swarm designated PS20221125.1 was recorded in the Solomon Islands. Five earthquakes occurred over 22 hours and 33 minutes. The sequence began with a magnitude 5.1 event at 25 km depth, followed by a magnitude 5.0 event at the same depth roughly seven hours later. On 25 November, three additional events took place, including two magnitude 5.1 and 5.7 shocks at 16 km and 25 km depth, respectively, and a smaller magnitude 4.4 event at 11 km depth.

This swarm represents the fourth documented swarm in the region since 2000, following two events in 2002 and one in 2016. Just two days prior, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck 18 km southwest of Malango, approximately 31 km from the swarm centroid, highlighting the persistent seismic hazard in the area.

Such swarms typically reflect stress adjustments along fault networks within the overriding plate or near the subduction interface. Depths between 11 km and 25 km suggest activity in the upper to mid-crustal levels, consistent with regional faulting patterns. No significant surface rupture or tsunami was associated with the November 2022 swarm.

Ongoing monitoring by regional seismic networks continues to track aftershock decay and potential for renewed activity. Historical records indicate that the Solomon Islands have hosted multiple magnitude 7+ events in recent decades, underscoring the need for preparedness in this high-hazard zone.

References

SeismoSight internal swarm classification PS20221125.1
USGS Earthquake Catalog (events since 2000)