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M5.2 Depth: 239.9 km

M5.2 Earthquake near Shefa (Vanuatu)

UTC time: 2025-08-22 12:52:59 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On August 22, 2025 at 12:52 UTC, a magnitude M5.2 earthquake occurred near Shefa (Vanuatu). At around 240 km, the focal depth places this among intermediate-depth events. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by RESIF.

Details

Magnitude
M5.2
Depth
239.9 km
UTC time
2025-08-22 12:52:59 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Vanuatu
City
Shefa
Source
resif
Coordinates
-17.63382, 168.64999
Temperature
21.2°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 239.9 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 239.9 km
Intermediate
239.9 km
239.9 km — deeper than the regional average (111.2 km)
Regional average: 111.2 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 Vila37.4 kmW35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Nguna-Emau
    Distance: 37 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 589 m ·Vanuatu
  • Kuwae
    Distance: 90 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -2 m ·Last eruption: 1974 ·Vanuatu
  • East Epi
    Distance: 110 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 833 m ·Last eruption: 2023 ·Vanuatu
  • Lopevi
    Distance: 129 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'413 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Vanuatu
  • Traitor's Head
    Distance: 139 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 817 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Vanuatu
  • Ambrym
    Distance: 164 km ·Shield(pyroclastic) ·Elevation: 1'334 m ·Last eruption: 2024 ·Vanuatu

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#12
Earlier events M≥472
Earlier events M≥524
Compared since2025-01-01

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.92025-05-11 11:22:21 UTC38.8 km M5.92025-02-10 00:09:42 UTC83.4 km53 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu M5.72025-05-11 11:22:19 UTC67.8 kmVanuatu Islands M5.62025-08-22 12:52:56 UTC7.3 kmVanuatu Islands [Sea: Vanuatu] M5.62025-07-13 06:16:52 UTC77.1 kmVanuatu Islands

Historic earthquake map · Vanuatu

Open history map
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · Vanuatu

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
659
Country (24h)
Vanuatu
0
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