A magnitude 7.1 earthquake and tsunami struck the Solomon Islands, leaving roughly 1,000 people homeless on Rendova island.
Key Facts
- Moment Magnitude
- 7.1
- Foreshock Magnitude
- 6.6 (48 minutes prior)
- Tsunami Wave Height
- ~10 feet (3.0 meters)
- Maximum Run-up Height
- 23.0 feet (7.0 meters)
- Homes Destroyed
- ~200
- People Left Homeless
- ~1,000 on Rendova island
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Solomon Islands sit along a tectonically active zone in the Pacific Ring of Fire, making the region prone to frequent seismic activity. In the days leading up to January 3, 2010, a series of earthquakes struck the area, culminating in a magnitude 6.6 foreshock approximately 48 minutes before the main event.
On January 3, 2010, at 22:36:28 UTC, a moment magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Solomon Islands, the largest in a cluster of recent quakes. It triggered a tsunami with wave heights of approximately 10 feet (3 meters) and a maximum run-up height of 23 feet (7 meters) along parts of the coastline.
The earthquake and tsunami destroyed around 200 homes on the island of Rendova, displacing as many as 1,000 people. The disaster caused significant humanitarian impact in an already remote and underserved region, requiring emergency relief efforts for the affected population.