Location:

M 7.6 93 km SSE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands

Magnitude:

7.6

Time:

12 Apr 2014 20:14:39

Depth:

22.5

M 7.0+:

M 7.4; 112 km S of Kirakira, Solomon Islands; (13 Apr 2014) (23km from the earthquake)

There are 4 swarms found nearby.

2004

PS20041112.1(51.5km)

11 Nov

1 day 1 hours

7 earthquakes

2005

PS20050306.2(96.3km)

6 Mar

15 hours

6 earthquakes

2014

PS20140412.1(46.6km)

12 Apr

1 day 20 hours

26 earthquakes

2016

PS20161208.1(89.4km)

8 Dec

3 days 4 hours

57 earthquakes

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The 2014 Solomon Islands Earthquake Sequence

On 12 April 2014 at 20:14 UTC, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck 93 km south-southeast of Kirakira, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 22.5 km. The event was followed within 24 hours by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake located 112 km south of Kirakira. These two shocks occurred only 23 km apart and formed part of a brief but intense seismic sequence in the region. The Solomon Islands occupy a tectonically complex segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Convergence between the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate occurs along the Solomon Islands subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate subducts westward beneath the Solomon Sea Plate at rates exceeding 100 mm per year. This rapid subduction generates frequent large earthquakes and volcanic activity. The islands sit near the intersection of multiple plate boundaries, including the New Britain Trench to the north and the San Cristobal Trench to the south, producing both thrust and strike-slip faulting. Historical records document repeated great earthquakes in the archipelago. Notable events include the 2007 magnitude 8.1 earthquake near the New Georgia Islands and earlier shocks exceeding magnitude 7.5 in 1998 and 1977. Paleoseismic studies indicate recurrence intervals of several decades for magnitude 7+ events along segments of the subduction interface. The April 2014 sequence fits this established pattern of clustered seismicity. Both 2014 mainshocks produced Modified Mercalli intensities up to VII near the epicentral area, triggering localized landslides and minor structural damage on Makira and nearby islands. No significant tsunami was generated, consistent with the moderate focal depths and thrust mechanisms typical of the region. Aftershock activity decayed rapidly, returning to background levels within weeks. Ongoing monitoring by regional seismic networks continues to track microseismicity along the plate interface, providing data that refine hazard assessments for the Solomon Islands. The 2014 sequence underscores the persistent seismic risk associated with active subduction in this part of the southwest Pacific.

References

U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Catalog
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Event Search
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center historical bulletins