USGS · October 20, 2026
Magnitude 6.3 earthquake 197 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake was recorded near 197 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu on Oct 20, 2026, 03:20 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+11), at a depth of about 16.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)PAGER GreenTsunami flaggedShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-20 06:16 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 6.3 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 197 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 20, 2026, 03:20 PM — UTC+11
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-20 04:20 UTC
- Depth
- 16.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -13.991, 165.589
- Felt reports
- Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- Flagged for tsunami evaluation by the responsible warning centre.
- Significance
- 611 / 1000 · major event
- Solution quality
- 138 seismic stations used · 27° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
No populated places over 1,000 inhabitants are listed within 100 km of the epicentre.
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
14 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 5.0 205 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
M 5.7 203 km WNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
M 5.7 198 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
M 4.8 212 km WNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
M 5.4 196 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
M 4.9 202 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
M 5.2 211 km WNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
M 5.4 184 km WNW of Port-Olry, VanuatuShaking III
M 5.3 188 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 197 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu earthquake?
Magnitude 6.3 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 16.0 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Oct 20, 2026, 03:20 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+11). In universal time: 2026-10-20 04:20 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Was there a tsunami warning?
Flagged for tsunami evaluation by the responsible warning centre.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
No populated places over 1,000 inhabitants lie within 100 km of the epicentre.
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.9 (199 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands, 1980), and 14 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), in Venezuela FUNVISIS and in Brazil the RSBR through the Centro de Sismologia da USP. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.