A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands at a depth of about 10 km, reported by the USGS. Shaking would likely be felt in the surrounding region.
What this means for you
Most space weather passes without anyone noticing – but events like this are exactly why we watch the data. If conditions escalate, the first things affected are GPS accuracy, shortwave radio and, in severe cases, power grids. Now is a good moment to make sure your devices are charged and you know where your backup light sources are.
We track this in real time on our Space Weather Command Center – live storm levels, aurora maps and official NOAA alerts, explained in plain English.
Detected automatically from NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center data, July 13, 2026 at 21:30 UTC.
Source: USGS
Related Reading
Sky Conditions at the Time
Moon: New Moon (0% illuminated), in Cancer.
Notable planetary angles: Moon square Saturn (90°), Sun conjunct Mercury (1°).
This is a factual snapshot, not a claim of cause and effect – researchers are divided on whether lunar, planetary or solar factors influence seismic or weather activity. It’s included so readers can track the pattern for themselves over time.
Earthquakes Within ~400 km, Past 30 Days
For context, here is other recent seismic activity in the surrounding region (M2.5+, via USGS):
| Date & Time (UTC) | Magnitude | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-14 01:27 UTC | M4.9 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 19:48 UTC | M4.8 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 17:24 UTC | M4.5 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 17:20 UTC | M4.7 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 17:15 UTC | M4.5 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 16:31 UTC | M5.1 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 15:24 UTC | M4.4 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 15:14 UTC | M4.7 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 15:04 UTC | M4.6 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 14:45 UTC | M6.3 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 07:59 UTC | M4.9 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-13 06:45 UTC | M5.0 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| 2026-07-10 13:55 UTC | M4.5 | 115 km SSW of Isangel, Vanuatu |
| 2026-07-10 02:41 UTC | M4.7 | 256 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia |
| 2026-07-10 02:34 UTC | M4.5 | 241 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia |
| 2026-07-09 14:40 UTC | M4.6 | 112 km SSW of Isangel, Vanuatu |
| 2026-07-08 14:36 UTC | M4.2 | 97 km SSW of Isangel, Vanuatu |
| 2026-07-06 20:56 UTC | M4.5 | 101 km SSW of Isangel, Vanuatu |
| 2026-07-06 20:51 UTC | M4.6 | 89 km SSW of Isangel, Vanuatu |
| 2026-07-01 06:23 UTC | M4.9 | southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
