5.5-Magnitude Earthquake Hits South of Fiji Islands

By Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter who covers a range of topics, including politics, U.S., and health news. A father of two, Jack grew up in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
January 11, 2018Updated: January 11, 2018

A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck south of the Fiji Islands out in the Pacific Ocean, according to U.S. officials.

The quake hit at a depth of 316 miles at coordinates 23.892°S and 179.973°E, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake, located 30 miles south of the Tropic of Capricorn, struck about 500 of miles south of the Fiji Islands. The quake also hit more than 1,000 miles north of New Zealand and around 1,500 miles east of Australia.

The “Ring of Fire” is located within the basin of the Pacific Ocean, lined with 452 volcanoes, making up around 75 percent of the world’s total active volcanoes.

About 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes strike along the “Ring of Fire,” according to the USGS.

Epoch Times Photo
The Ring of Fire (Public Domain)
The Ring of Fire, home to more than 450 active and dormant volcanoes. (U.S. Geological Survey)
The Ring of Fire, home to more than 450 active and dormant volcanoes. (U.S. Geological Survey)

 

 

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