How frequent are earthquakes in Fiji?

Fiji has a high level of seismic activity. Based on data from the past 25 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 792 quakes on average per year in Fiji. Fiji has had at least 34 quakes above magnitude 7 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 1 to 5 years.

How many earthquakes occur every year in Fiji?

On average, Fiji has about 1,100 quakes of magnitude 3 or higher per year (Mag 4+: 790 quakes per year, Mag 5+: 49 quakes per year, Mag 6+: 4.8 quakes per year).

Volcanoes of Fiji (8)

Go to: Eruptions FAQ Quakes News

The Fiji Islands are part of an island arc formed by an ancient subduction zone, but the subduction zone is no longer active. At present, they are located in the backarc zone corresponding to the North New Hebrides and New Hebrides Trenches, in an area characterized by several small ocean basins with developing sea-floor spreading rifts. These include the Lau Basin to the east and the North Fiji Basin to the west of Fiji.

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Latest earthquakes: Fiji

There were 6 quakes of magnitude 4.0+ in or near Fiji in the past 7 days.

A Magnitude earthquake occurred in .

Magnitude Earthquake -

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Nearest Volcano / Location
Mar 25, 08:28 pm (GMT -12)	4.4 577 km	273 km (170 mi) NW of Fonuafo'ou	Fiji Region I FELT IT	Info
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
Mar 25, 09:12 pm (GMT +12)	4.5 585 km	255 km (158 mi) SE of Taveuni	297 km E of Levuka, Fiji I FELT IT	Info
Mar 25, 06:27 pm (GMT +12)	4.4 531 km	280 km (174 mi) SE of Taveuni	270 km ESE of Levuka, Fiji I FELT IT	Info
Monday, March 24, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 24, 11:12 am (GMT -12)	4.4 612 km	291 km (181 mi) NW of Fonuafo'ou	Fiji Region I FELT IT	Info
Sunday, March 23, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
Mar 23, 10:03 pm (GMT +12)	4.3 619 km	254 km (158 mi) SE of Taveuni	288 km E of Levuka, Fiji I FELT IT	Info
Mar 23, 06:30 pm (GMT +12)	4.5 620 km	278 km (173 mi) SE of Taveuni	297 km E of Levuka, Fiji I FELT IT	Info

See Recent Quakes

Significant Earthquakes in Fiji since 1900

The deadliest earthquake in Fiji since 1900 was the magnitude 6.4 earthquake in

Fiji on Sep, 14, 1953. It resulted in 7 fatalities and 12 injured people. Most casualties and damage resulted from the tsunami that followed the quake. The height of the tsunami waves reached 15 m (49 ft). This was the most disastrous quake in Fiji ever recorded.
A tsunami was generated by the quake as well and contributed to its desctuctive effects. This was the 8th worst quake in Fiji during recorded history. An unknown number houses and other buildings were destroyed and an unknown number damaged.

Date	Mag	Region	Deaths	Damage
1979 Nov 16	6.9	Fiji Islands	0	moderate	Info
1953 Sep 14	6.4	Fiji Islands	7	moderate	Info
1932 Mar 8	6.2	Fiji Islands: Koro, Mudu, Suvasavu	0	moderate	Info
1919 Oct 3	6.9	Fiji Islands: Rabi, Tunuloa Mission, Suvasavu	0	moderate	Info

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K

All Quakes in History

Map

Oldest quakes (until 1960) are shown in yellow, most recent (from 2000) in red.

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Significant Earthquakes in Fiji FAQ

+Which was the deadliest earthquake in Fiji since 1900?

The deadliest earthquake in Fiji since 1900 was the magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Fiji on Sep, 14, 1953. It resulted in 7 fatalities and 12 injured people. Most casualties and damage resulted from the tsunami that followed the quake. The height of the tsunami waves reached 15 m (49 ft). This was the most disastrous quake in Fiji ever recorded.

+Which was the earthquake that caused most damage in Fiji since 1900?

The earthquake that caused most damage was the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Fiji on Nov, 16, 1979. It caused no known fatalities and estimated $1-5 million USD (today's equivalent) in total economic damage.

+How many people were killed by earthquakes in Fiji since 1900?

Since 1900, at least 1 earthquakes claimed an estimated total of 7 fatalities in Fiji.

+How much damage did earthquakes cause in Fiji since 1900?

There were 4 damaging or deadly quakes during this period that caused economic losses of approx. $20 million US Dollars combined.

Volcano List

Kabara

(Unknown unknown)

[more info]

Katafaga

(Unknown unknown)

[more info]

Koro

(cinder cones 522 m / 1,713 ft)

Koro volcano is a group of young basaltic cinder cones on 16x9 km wide Koro Island between Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, Fiji. Some of the cones are possibly less than 10,000 years old. [more info]

Mago

(Pyroclastic cone(s) unknown)

[more info]

Nabukelevu

(lava domes 805 m / 2,641 ft)

Nabukelevu volcano is an andesitic-dacitic lava dome complex at the SW end of Kadavu Island, Fiji. Its summit is called Mt. Washington. There are flat lava flows at Cape Washington on the west coast and at the Talaulia Bay on the NE coast.
A main hazard from the volcano are... [more info]

Nairai

(Complex 335 m / 1099 ft)

[more info]

Taveuni

(shield volcano 1241 m / 4,071 ft)

Taveuni volcano is a massive, elongated basaltic shield volcano, which forms the 40 km long Tavenui Island, the 3rd largest of the Fiji Islands. Tavenui is known as the "Garden Island" because of its rich volcanic soils.
Tavenui volcano has had at least 36 eruptions since ... [more info]