Shallow M5.5 earthquake hits offshore New Caledonia

A shallow M5.5 earthquake was registered at 23:39 UTC on September 25, 2026, approximately 61 km (38 miles) east-northeast of Tadine, New Caledonia. The event struck at a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles), with coordinates pinpointed at 168.4°E, 21.4°S.

The earthquake’s epicenter was located offshore in the Loyalty Islands region of New Caledonia, a seismically active area in the southwest Pacific. Tadine is the nearest populated settlement, though the quake occurred beneath the ocean floor, away from large urban centers.

Given its offshore setting, the region is primarily characterized by maritime infrastructure such as ports and shipping lanes. No major inland critical infrastructure appears threatened based on available regional information.

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

USGS issued a green alert for this event, indicating a low likelihood of casualties or damage. The maximum estimated intensity was IV, with a significance index of 465 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), calculated from magnitude, intensity, and potential impact factors.

New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands sit along the boundary between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. This region is known for frequent moderate to strong seismic activity caused by complex plate interactions.

This information was last updated at 00:03 UTC on September 26, 2026.