# M4.5 Earthquake Strikes Fiji Region

**Suva, Fiji —** A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck the Fiji Islands region Sunday evening, shaking the seafloor far offshore south of the main islands, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

## What happened:

The quake hit at 5:34 p.m. Central time (10:34 p.m. Sunday local in Fiji), centered about 550 kilometers — roughly 340 miles — deep under the seafloor southwest of Suva. Because the earthquake happened so far below the surface, the shaking at ground level was light, and the USGS has logged no reports of damage. The agency says no tsunami was generated.

## Impacts:

USGS instruments recorded the shaking, but no populated areas reported feeling it strongly, and no damage reports have come in. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued no alert. Deep earthquakes like this one — more than 500 kilometers down — typically cause far less damage than shallow quakes of the same strength.

## What to do:

- If you ever feel strong shaking, drop, cover, and hold on until it stops.

- Check your surroundings for hazards like cracked walls or gas smells.

- Aftershocks can follow — stay alert to official updates from local emergency officials.

*Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), October 18, 2026.*