June 15, 1966 Earthquake: Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on June 15, 1966 at 00:59:42 UTC, 31 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- June 15, 1966
- Time
- 00:59:42 UTC
- Place
- Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
- Magnitude
- 7.1 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 31 km (19 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 10.343° S, 160.883° E
- Country
- Solomon Islands
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Reference #414:
1966, June 15, 12:00 [local time]. There was an earthquake which was felt on the islands of Guadalcanal, Malaita and San Cristobal. A weak tsunami was observed at different places on the islands of Guadalcanal and San Cristobal. [15.VI; Oh5946s; 10.3 S., 160.8 E.; 31 km; M=7.6.]
Reference #1229:
1966, June 15, 00:59:45.8 UTC. 10.4 S, 160.8 E, depth 31 km, magnitude 7.3 mb, 7.8 MS.
Reference #9910:
1966, June 15 0:59:42.69 UTC, 10.343 S, 160.883 E, depth 2.3 km, 7.1 Mw P&S, 7.7 Ms ABE1, 7.7 Ms P&S, 7.5 Ms ISC, 7.4 mB ABE1, 7.5 UK PAS, 6 mb ISC.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- October 3, 1931, San Cristobal Island, Solomon Islands
- April 20, 1977, Solomon Islands
- April 21, 1977, Solomon Islands
- August 10, 1988, San Cristobal, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
- December 8, 2016, Solomon Islands
- January 20, 2003, Honiara, San Cristobal, Solomon Islands
- April 12, 1926, Solomon Islands
- December 9, 2016, Solomon Islands
- October 10, 1931, Solomon Islands
- April 20, 1977, Solomon Islands
- February 7, 1984, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
- December 15, 1935, Solomon Islands
- August 1, 1961, Solomon Islands
- April 20, 1977, Solomon Islands
- September 27, 1985, Honiara, Guadacanal, Solomon Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 1966The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1966Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 4368.