Shallow M7.0 earthquake hits offshore New Caledonia

A shallow M7.0 earthquake was registered at 21:23 UTC on September 25, 2026, about 68 km (42 miles) east-northeast of Tadine, New Caledonia. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 17.1 km (10.6 miles), according to data provided by USGS.

The coordinates place the epicenter offshore, southeast of the Loyalty Islands, an area known for its active tectonics near the boundary between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. Tadine is one of the main settlements on Maré Island, part of New Caledonia’s Loyalty Islands, which are sparsely populated.

Given the offshore location near the Loyalty Islands, nearby critical infrastructure might include small coastal ports, inter-island maritime transport facilities, local road networks, and regional airports serving the islands.

There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.

The significance index is 754 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude, felt reports, and estimated impact.

New Caledonia is located along the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” specifically at the convergent boundary between the Australian and Pacific plates, where large shallow earthquakes periodically occur due to tectonic subduction and transform faulting.

This information was last updated at 21:31 UTC on September 25, 2026.