What the record shows for Solomon Islands
The strongest earthquake on record near Solomon Islands is a magnitude 8.1 in 2007, centred 2007 Solomon Islands Earthquake - 19 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 2,634 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 389 km of Solomon Islands - roughly 132 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
The NOAA NCEI database records 29 tsunamis within 389 km of Solomon Islands between 1926 and 2022. The most significant was in 2007 near Solomon Islands, triggered by an M8.1 earthquake, which killed around 52 people.
7 volcanoes are catalogued near Solomon Islands, including Savo, Gallego, Unnamed, Kavachi, Coleman Seamount, Kana Keoki and 1 more. Volcanic systems generate their own earthquake swarms, which is why activity here can look different from a purely tectonic region.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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The Solomon Islands sit on an active convergent boundary that regularly produces large earthquakes.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Solomon Islands.
Earthquake risk in Solomon Islands - FAQ
Is Solomon Islands at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 132 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 389 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M8.1 in 2007.
What was the biggest earthquake in Solomon Islands?
The strongest earthquake on record near Solomon Islands is M8.1, in 2007 (2007 Solomon Islands Earthquake), from USGS.
Does Solomon Islands get tsunamis?
Yes - 29 tsunamis since 1926 (most recently 2022) within 389 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 52 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Solomon Islands?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.