December 16, 1975 Earthquake: Fiji Islands

Name: December 16, 1975 Earthquake: Fiji Islands
Start: 1975-12-16
Location: Fiji Islands

December 16, 1975 · M4.9

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Fiji Islands on December 16, 1975 at 21:01:39 UTC, 33 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: December 16, 1975
Time: 21:01:39 UTC
Place: Fiji Islands
Magnitude: 4.9 (mb)
Focal depth: 33 km (21 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 18.672° S, 178.464° E
Country: Fiji

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1975 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1975 Recent earthquakes near here This 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 10271.