Two strong earthquakes struck the region between Fiji and New Zealand on Monday morning, 14 April, with no tsunami risk reported.
The first and stronger of the two, a magnitude 6.5 quake, occurred at approximately 8:03am local time. The epicentre was located 333 kilometres from New Zealand, within the Kermadec Trench, at a depth of 337 kilometres below sea level.
A second earthquake, registering at magnitude 6.1, followed shortly after. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology confirmed that neither event triggered a tsunami.
The depth of the first quake likely played a key role in reducing tsunami risk. Deeper earthquakes typically displace less water than shallower ones, making them less likely to generate large waves.
Fiji and New Zealand both lie along the Kermadec Trench, a deep oceanic feature that stretches north from New Zealand toward Fiji. It is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region known for frequent seismic activity. Here, the Pacific Plate is subducting beneath the Australian Plate, generating high pressure and regular earthquakes.
The location and depth of Monday’s quakes suggest they were the result of tectonic movement within this subduction zone.
Source: The Economic Times
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