Magnitude 5.9 earthquake — Fiji region
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near Fiji region at a depth of about 585 km. Details, shaking intensity and any tsunami information are on the USGS event page.
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The Fiji region lies near the boundary between major tectonic plates, where the Pacific plate sinks beneath neighbouring plates. As the plates move and bend underground, they produce frequent earthquakes, including some far below the surface.
At about 585 km deep, this earthquake is classed as a deep-focus event. Such quakes happen within rock that has descended into the Earth, and their depth is important when assessing how strongly shaking may reach people at the surface and whether a tsunami is possible.