Earthquakes & Seismicity

The largest and most devastating earthquake to have hit Fiji Islands was the 1953 Suva Earthquake. It took place September 14, 1953 near Suva, Fiji on the main Island Viti Levu. The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 6.8, it has triggered a coral reef platform to collapse and also a submarine landslide which in turn caused a tsunami. This event took down many stores and houses within the city. 

Fiji is seismically active which means they experiences many earthquakes weekly/monthly, most occur mainly on the edges of the plate and in the ocean. The ones that do occur inland tend to be of low/medium magnitude. Many times earthquakes also bring about a tsunami. Though it is very rare to see another earthquake of similar magnitude to the 1953 Suva Earthquake take place inland. Two studies of "magnitude-frequency relations" near Fiji have shown that earthquakes of magnitude 7 or higher are expected every 15-21 years. While earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or higher are expected every 2.5-6 years.

The northern and western Viti Levu, northern Vanua Levu, the South Fiji Basin, and the Lau ridge are all areas that have shown signs of having no "seismic activity on all time and magnitude scale."

The "Fiji Telemetered Seismic Network" is a 19 station national seismic network of Fiji. It provides the bulk of data for their research program, which is used to predict future earthquakes in order to prepare for them accordingly.



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