November 16, 1979 Earthquake: Fiji Islands

Name: November 16, 1979 Earthquake: Fiji Islands
Start: 1979-11-16
Location: Fiji Islands

November 16, 1979 · M6.9

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Fiji Islands on November 16, 1979 at 15:21:25 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: November 16, 1979
Time: 15:21:25 UTC
Place: Fiji Islands
Magnitude: 6.9 (Ms)
Focal depth: 33 km (21 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 16.760° S, 179.984° W
Country: Fiji

The toll

Damage: Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Damage reported on the islands of Laucala, Savasavu, Taveuni and Vanua Levu. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1979 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1979 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 4856.