Fiji records 264 earthquakes last month

Fiji experienced a significant number of seismic events in July, with a total of 264 earthquakes recorded across the region. The magnitudes of these tremors varied, ranging from a low of 1.2 to a high of 5.9.

According to Fiji Seismology, the majority of the shallow earthquake activity was observed in the northern parts of the island nation. This seismic hotspot extended from the northern Yasawa Islands to Cikobia Island, following the path of the Fiji Fracture Zone. Experts attribute this concentration of activity to the inherent movement and geological characteristics of this fault zone.

In addition to shallow tremors, deeper earthquakes were also detected. These events, occurring between 300 and 600 kilometers below the surface, were primarily recorded to the east of Fiji, specifically beneath the Lau Basin. This deeper seismic activity is understood to be connected to subduction processes, where the Pacific Plate is sliding beneath the Indo-Australian Plate.

Other areas that registered shallow and minor earthquake activity included Kadavu Island, associated with the Hunter Fracture Zone, and parts of southeast Viti Levu and inland Vanua Levu. While seismic activity is ongoing in several known tectonic zones within Fiji, the events recorded in July were consistent with areas experiencing continuous geological movement.