Earthquakes in Islands 2007, Solomon Islands

Earthquakes on the Solomon Islands

On the Solomon Islands there are very strong earthquakes with far-reaching consequences. Earthquakes with a magnitude of over 8.0 destroy numerous houses within a radius of several hundred kilometers and are causing great damage and devastation. Due to the special tectonic situation of the country, there are more earthquakes than average.

56 people died since 1950 by direct consequences of earthquakes. 34 earthquakes also caused a subsequent tsunami, which claimed further lifes and damages.

Other natural hazards on the Solomon Islands:
› Volcanos
› Tsunamis
› The most severe natural disasters worldwide


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Earthquakes on the Solomon Islands since 1950

The strongest earthquake on the Solomon Islands happened on 04/21/1977 in the region Solomon Islands with a magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale. The shifting of tectonic plates in a depth of 9 km resulted in 18 deaths. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami with further victims and destructions.
DateRegionTiefeMagnitudeDeathsTotal damage
12/09/2016Solomon Islands24 km6.90
12/08/2016Solomon Islands28 km7.81
11/18/2015Solomon Islands57 km6.80
07/18/2015Solomon Islands22 km7.00
07/10/2015Solomon Islands54 km6.70
04/13/2014Solomon Islands23 km7.40
04/12/2014Solomon Islands3 km7.60
02/08/2013Santa Cruz Islands38 km7.00
02/06/2013Santa Cruz Islands25 km7.90
07/25/2012Guadalcanal27 km6.40
01/05/2010Solomon Islands32 km6.80
01/03/2010Solomon Islands5 km6.60
01/03/2010Solomon Islands27 km7.10
10/07/2009Santa Cruz Islands51 km7.80
09/02/2007Santa Cruz Islands18 km7.20
04/01/2007Solomon Islands56 km8.12
01/20/2003Honiara, San Cristobal6 km7.30
04/21/1997Santa Cruz Islands; Vanuatu26 km7.70
04/29/1996Bougainville Island41 km7.21
05/27/1992Santa Cruz Islands38 km7.00
10/14/1991Solomon Islands12 km7.20
02/09/1991Solomon Islands58 km6.90
08/10/1988San Cristobal, Guadalcanal29 km7.60
06/18/1987Solomon Islands16 km6.30
09/27/1985Honiara, Guadacanal8 km6.90
02/07/1984Guadalcanal21 km7.50
08/05/1982Santa Cruz Islands52 km7.50
07/17/1980Santa Cruz Islands; Vanuatu23 km7.90
07/08/1980Santa Cruz Islands (Banks)19 km7.50
04/21/1977Solomon Islands9 km8.118
04/20/1977Solomon Islands10 km6.834
04/20/1977Solomon Islands13 km7.50
04/20/1977Solomon Islands50 km7.60
02/01/1974Solomon Islands33 km7.10
01/31/1974Solomon Islands5 km7.00
08/11/1970Solomon Islands23 km7.50
01/05/1969Santa Isabel Island 7.50
12/31/1966Santa Cruz Islands11 km7.80
12/31/1966Santa Cruz Islands16 km7.20
06/15/1966Guadalcanal42 km7.10
09/17/1963Solomon Islands11 km7.50
09/15/1963Solomon Islands54 km7.50
08/01/1961Solomon Islands54 km6.40
08/17/1959Solomon Islands40 km7.30
12/17/1957Santa Cruz Islands 7.80
09/08/1955Fauro Island14 km6.50
11/04/1953Solomon Islands13 km7.50
11/08/1950Solomon Sea12 km7.30


These statistics are based on datas from the National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Several data have been summarized and translated. Foto taken from National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC, public domain).