An 8.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on 2 April 2007, generating a tsunami that killed 52 people.
Key Facts
- Magnitude (Mw)
- 8.1
- Magnitude (Ms)
- 7.8
- Tsunami deaths
- 52 people
- Focal depth
- 10 km
- Distance from Gizo
- 40 km
- Largest aftershock
- 6.2 Mw
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A major seismic rupture occurred approximately 40 km south-southeast of Gizo in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands, in a region of high tectonic activity along the Pacific-Australian plate boundary. The earthquake struck at a shallow focal depth of 10 km, amplifying its surface impact.
On 2 April 2007 at 7:39:56 a.m. local time, an earthquake of magnitude 8.1 (Mw) struck near Ghizo Island, close to the provincial capital of Gizo in the Solomon Islands. Numerous aftershocks followed, with the largest reaching magnitude 6.2.
The earthquake triggered a tsunami that killed 52 people. Coastal communities in the Western Province were struck by the resulting waves, causing casualties and destruction in an already remote and vulnerable island region.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 52 (earthquake)