M6.6 earthquake · Loyalty Islands (New Caledonia)
On 25 September 2026 an M6.6 earthquake at about 10 km depth struck the Loyalty Islands region (New Caledonia, southwest Pacific). A vigorous aftershock sequence has followed, with several events above M5. The area sits on the New Hebrides subduction zone, one of Earth's most active; the events occurred offshore and the region is sparsely populated. No tsunami warning was issued.
Map of the series
Distribution by magnitude
Timeline
Magnitude over time
Impact
We have no confirmed reports of casualties or damage for this event. Any information on consequences is added solely from named official sources.
The strongest earthquakes of the series
| Time | Mag. | Depth | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. Oct, 04:49 | M4.8 | 10 km | VANUATU |
| 30. Sep, 08:50 | M5.0 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 30. Sep, 03:17 | M4.8 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 29. Sep, 12:42 | M5.0 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 29. Sep, 05:23 | M5.3 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 28. Sep, 07:45 | M5.2 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 28. Sep, 07:42 | M4.6 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 28. Sep, 07:28 | M5.1 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 28. Sep, 05:25 | M5.3 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 28. Sep, 02:47 | M4.8 | 10 km | 80 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia |
| 27. Sep, 04:22 | M5.1 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 27. Sep, 03:18 | M5.0 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 20:25 | M4.8 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 18:06 | M4.8 | 10 km | 72 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia |
| 26. Sep, 17:01 | M5.1 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 15:48 | M4.8 | 14 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 14:14 | M5.2 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 14:11 | M4.7 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 12:21 | M4.9 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 11:10 | M4.8 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 11:07 | M4.7 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 10:54 | M4.7 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 10:24 | M5.0 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 09:22 | M5.0 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
| 26. Sep, 09:08 | M5.1 | 10 km | LOYALTY ISLANDS |
Background
What is an earthquake series?
An earthquake series – also called a swarm – is a cluster of many quakes in one region over hours to weeks. After a strong quake, numerous aftershocks typically follow, decreasing in number and strength over time.
How should the magnitude be read?
The magnitude scale is logarithmic: a magnitude 6 quake releases around 32 times the energy of a magnitude 5. Whether a quake is felt depends not only on its strength but strongly on focal depth and distance to populated areas.
Where does the data come from?
All figures, the timeline and the map are merged continuously from ten seismological services (including USGS, EMSC, GEOFON, GEONET and Spain’s IGN). Information on human consequences is in no earthquake database – we add it solely from named official sources.
Frequently asked questions
How many quakes does this series include?
So far 32 quakes have been counted in this series (all magnitudes in the area).
How strong was the biggest quake?
The strongest quake reached M6.6 on 25. Sep (Loyalty Islands (New Caledonia, SW Pacific)).
Is the series still active?
Yes, the series is still being extended with new quakes – the figures update continuously.
Are casualties or damage known?
We have no confirmed reports of casualties or damage for this event. Any information on consequences is added solely from named official sources.
All figures and the map are computed live from ten seismological data sources on every visit — nothing is hard-coded. Individual earthquakes are on the map and in the full list.