5.1-magnitude quake hits Fiji Islands

Beijing, Aug 16 (IANS) An earthquake measuring 5.1 in magnitude hit the Fiji Islands on Friday, according to the GFZ, German Research Centre for Geosciences.

The earthquake’s epicentre was located at a depth of 29 km and was initially recorded at coordinates 26.67 degrees south latitude and 176.57 degrees west longitude.

Fiji is prone to earthquakes because it’s located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region of intense tectonic activity and the world’s most active earthquake and volcano belt. The Pacific Ring of Fire is located at the boundaries of tectonic plates, which are very active seismic zones. In Fiji, earthquakes are caused by the subduction or slipping of tectonic plate boundaries beneath each other.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), in 2020, 19 earthquakes with a magnitude of more than 4.0 occurred within 200 km of Fiji (among the strongest were four between 5.0 to 6.0).

Earthquakes of this magnitude can potentially cause damage, though the impact often depends on various factors including the depth of the quake and the distance from populated areas.

–IANS

int/jk/sha