Magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit Santa Cruz Islands region

Strong and shallow earthquake with recorded magnitude 6.0 (USGS) struck Santa Cruz Islands on January 30, 2013 at 23:03:45 UTC. The epicenter was located 75 km (46 miles) ENE of Lata, Solomon Islands at coordinates 10.518°S, 166.486°E. Lata is located on Nendo Island and it is the largest town, and the capital of Temotu province of Solomon Islands. USGS reported depth of  10 km (6.2 miles), while EMSC registered slightly deeper depth of 40 km (24.8 miles), with same recorded magnitude. There was no tsunami alert issued.

Epicenter location by USGS and EMSC Earthquake details (Source; USGS)

 

The Santa Cruz Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands. They lie approximately 400 km (250 miles ) to the southeast of the Solomon Islands Chain and north of the archipelago of Vanuatu. The Santa Cruz Islands are less than five million years old, and were pushed upward by the tectonic subduction of the northward-moving Indo-Australian Plate under the Pacific Plate. The islands are mostly composed of limestone and volcanic ash over limestone.

Map of Santa Cruz Islands and epicenter of January 30, 2013 M 6.0 earthquake

 

This is the second M 6+ earthquake today. Seven hours ago, strong M 6.8 hit Atacama region in Chile at depth of 45.7 km (28.4 miles). There were six M4+, four M5+ and two M6+ earthquakes on January 30, 2013. M 5.3 struck off the coast of Oregon, US. Three strong earthquakes (M 5.4, M 5.0 and M4.7) struck Philippine Islands. Some moderate activity were recorded at Andreanoff Islands on Aleutian Islands, Southern Alaska, Southern Mid-Atlantic Range, Northern Peru, Eastern Turkey and Greece.