Back to map
M5.5 Depth: 120.0 km

M5.5 Earthquake near Vanuatu Islands

UTC time: 2026-03-30 09:02:26 UTC Local time: —
M5.5 earthquake near Vanuatu Islands on Mar 30, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.5 Earthquake near Vanuatu Islands · 2026-03-30 09:02:26 UTC

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.5 earthquake was recorded near Vanuatu Islands on March 30, 2026 at 09:02 UTC. The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 120 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The data is provided by GFZ and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Details

Magnitude
M5.5
Depth
120.0 km
UTC time
2026-03-30 09:02:26 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-14.99000, 167.89000
Temperature
29.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 120 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 120 km
Intermediate
120 km
Why depth matters

Intermediate-depth quakes are felt across a wider area but usually cause less surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Port Vila308.7 kmS35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Ambae
    Distance: 45 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'496 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Gaua
    Distance: 89 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 729 m ·Last eruption: 2022 ·Vanuatu
  • Suretamatai
    Distance: 140 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 921 m ·Last eruption: 1966 ·Vanuatu
  • Ambrym
    Distance: 142 km ·Shield(pyroclastic) ·Elevation: 1'334 m ·Last eruption: 2024 ·Vanuatu
  • Motlav
    Distance: 149 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 411 m ·Vanuatu
  • Lopevi
    Distance: 176 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'413 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Vanuatu

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours2
First 24 hours3
First 72 hours5
Strongest subsequent eventM5.1
M5.02026-03-30 09:02:29 UTC44.6 kmVANUATU M5.02026-03-30 09:02:32 UTC57.5 km42 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu M4.82026-03-30 19:50:27 UTC80.1 kmSanma M5.02026-03-31 10:03:38 UTC138.0 kmMalampa M4.92026-03-31 10:03:48 UTC146.7 kmVANUATU M4.92026-04-06 08:19:51 UTC25.7 kmVanuatu Islands M4.52026-04-06 08:19:52 UTC31.4 km62 km E of Port-Olry, Vanuatu M4.42026-04-13 00:27:20 UTC45.6 kmPenama M5.12026-04-22 13:20:44 UTC45.4 kmVanuatu Islands M5.02026-04-22 13:20:46 UTC69.5 km31 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu M5.02026-04-22 13:20:46 UTC65.8 kmVANUATU

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#25
Earlier events M≥496
Earlier events M≥551
Compared since2025-01-04

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

M7.32026-03-30 08:44:13 UTC50.4 km48 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu M7.32026-03-30 08:44:10 UTC70.0 kmVANUATU M7.32026-03-30 08:44:08 UTC62.8 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) WSW (az= 251.1) from Quartzsite, AZ M7.32026-03-30 08:44:08 UTC54.6 kmVanuatu Islands M7.32026-03-30 08:44:08 UTC56.6 kmVanuatu Islands

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
717
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

Share