USGS · October 30, 2026
Magnitude 6.2 earthquake near Luganville, Vanuatu
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake was recorded near 43 km ESE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu on Oct 30, 2026, 08:46 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+11), at a depth of about 142.8 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 2 people · community intensity III (weak)Shaking IVPAGER GreenIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-30 00:14 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 6.2 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 43 km ESE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 30, 2026, 08:46 AM — UTC+11
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-29 21:46 UTC
- Depth
- 142.8 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -15.189, 167.452
- Felt reports
- Felt by 2 people · community intensity III (weak)
- Estimated shaking
- IV · Light
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 592 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 87 seismic stations used · 32° 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
At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Estimated instrumental shaking IV (Light): Felt indoors by many; dishes and windows rattle and parked cars rock.
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
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 17,695 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Port-Olry | 43.9 km WNW | 1,300 |
| Luganville | 48.2 km SW | 13,397 |
| Saratamata | 58.8 km E | — |
| Norsup | 97.6 km S | 2,998 |
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
11 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 5.4 109 km ENE of Luganville, VanuatuFelt · 1
M 6.1 25 km ENE of Port-Olry, VanuatuFelt · 4
M 5.5 55 km NNE of Port-Olry, VanuatuShaking III
M 4.9 115 km NE of Norsup, Vanuatu
M 4.8 110 km NE of Norsup, VanuatuFelt · 1
M 4.6 105 km ENE of Port-Olry, VanuatuFelt · 1
M 5.2 101 km NE of Norsup, VanuatuShaking VI
M 6.3 102 km NE of Norsup, VanuatuFelt · 5
M 4.5 105 km E of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 43 km ESE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu earthquake?
Magnitude 6.2 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 142.8 km. At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Exactly when did it happen?
Oct 30, 2026, 08:46 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+11). In universal time: 2026-10-29 21:46 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 2 people · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors by many; dishes and windows rattle and parked cars rock.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Port-Olry, 43.9 km WNW (population 1,300).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.7 (45 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu, 1965), and 11 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.