Region · live catalogue
Earthquakes in Vanuatu
In the last 30 days, 68 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater were recorded in Vanuatu; the largest was a magnitude 6.2 earthquake 48 km NE of Luganville, Sanma, Vanuatu on 29 Oct 2026.
Data: GFZ, USGS, INGV · updated · sources and licences
- 24 hours
- 0
- all magnitudes
- 7 days
- 5
- M2.5+
- 30 days
- 68
- M2.5+
Seismic record
In Vanuatu, the USGS catalogue lists 551 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more since 1900 and 1,582 of magnitude 5 or more since 2000, about 59 a year. In the 12 months to 13 Oct 2026 it recorded 317 of magnitude 2.5 or more, all of them magnitude 4 or more.
The largest since 1900: M8.1 on 20 Sept 1920, 97 km WSW of Isangel, Tafea, Vanuatu. The most recent of magnitude 5 or more: M5.4 on 9 Oct 2026, 32 km SSE of Saratamata, Penama, Vanuatu.
Counts from the USGS ComCat catalogue (public domain), last compiled 13 Oct 2026. Outside the United States, ComCat is complete from about magnitude 4.5, so smaller local earthquakes may be missing from these counts but appear in the lists below. How these pages are built
Last 24 hours
No earthquakes recorded in Vanuatu in the last 24 hours.
Earlier this week, magnitude 2.5 and above
| Mag | Location | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5mb | 76 km SSW of Sola, Torba, Vanuatu2 agencies | |
| 4.6mb | 64 km NW of Port-Vila, Shefa, Vanuatu2 agencies | |
| 4.8mb | Vanuatu Islands2 agencies | |
| 4.5mb | 87 km N of Isangel, Tafea, Vanuatu2 agencies | |
| 4.6mb | 59 km WNW of Isangel, Tafea, Vanuatu2 agencies |
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Largest in the last 30 days
| Mag | Location | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| 6.2mww | 48 km NE of Luganville, Sanma, Vanuatu3 agencies | |
| 6.1mww | 60 km NNE of Luganville, Sanma, Vanuatu3 agencies | |
| 6.1mb | Vanuatu Islands3 agencies | |
| 6.0mww | Vanuatu Islands3 agencies | |
| 6.0mww | Vanuatu Islands3 agencies | |
| 5.8Mwp | 35 km NE of Saratamata, Penama, Vanuatu | |
| 5.8mb | Vanuatu Islands2 agencies | |
| 5.6mww | Vanuatu Islands2 agencies | |
| 5.5mww | 87 km SSW of Sola, Torba, Vanuatu2 agencies | |
| 5.4mww | 22 km NNE of Saratamata, Penama, Vanuatu3 agencies |
Where they occurred
Largest since 1900
Magnitude 6 and above in Vanuatu.
Loading the historical catalogue…
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Questions
How many earthquakes happen in Vanuatu?
In the last 30 days, 68 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater were recorded in Vanuatu, 5 of them in the last 7 days. In the last 24 hours, 0 earthquakes of any magnitude were recorded. Most small earthquakes are not felt.
What was the largest recent earthquake in Vanuatu?
The largest in the last 30 days was a magnitude 6.2 earthquake 48 km NE of Luganville, Sanma, Vanuatu on 29 Oct 2026, at a depth of 143 km.
What is the largest earthquake recorded in Vanuatu since 1900?
According to the USGS catalogue, the largest was a magnitude 8.1 earthquake on 20 Sep 1920 (1920 Vanuatu Earthquake). Magnitudes of early 20th-century earthquakes are less certain than modern ones.
How deep are earthquakes in Vanuatu?
87% of the magnitude 2.5+ earthquakes recorded in Vanuatu in the last 30 days were shallower than 70 km. Shallow earthquakes generally cause stronger shaking at the surface than deep ones of the same magnitude.
Where can I get official earthquake information for Vanuatu?
For official information, warnings and safety advice, follow your national seismological agency and civil protection authority. This site compiles agency reports and is not a warning service.
Can earthquakes be predicted?
No. Scientists can estimate how likely strong shaking is in a region over years or decades, but no method predicts the time, place and size of a specific earthquake. Aftershocks are expected after large earthquakes and become less frequent over time.