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M5.9 Depth: 14.8 km

M5.9 Earthquake near Vanuatu Islands [Sea: Vanuatu]

UTC time: 2026-05-19 02:29:26 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.9 earthquake was recorded near Vanuatu Islands [Sea: Vanuatu] on May 19, 2026 at 02:29 UTC. With a focal depth of about 15 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by INGV.

Details

Magnitude
M5.9
Depth
14.8 km
UTC time
2026-05-19 02:29:26 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
ingv
Coordinates
-18.26020, 168.10200
Temperature
26.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 14.8 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 14.8 km
Shallow
14.8 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Port Vila62.4 kmN35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Nguna-Emau
    Distance: 94 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 589 m ·Vanuatu
  • Traitor's Head
    Distance: 132 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 817 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Vanuatu
  • Kuwae
    Distance: 165 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -2 m ·Last eruption: 1974 ·Vanuatu
  • East Epi
    Distance: 178 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 833 m ·Last eruption: 2023 ·Vanuatu
  • Lopevi
    Distance: 197 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'413 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Vanuatu
  • Yasur
    Distance: 200 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 361 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

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

First 6 hours1
First 24 hours4
First 72 hours4
Strongest subsequent eventM5.4
M5.42026-05-19 02:29:30 UTC14.2 kmEvent of magnitude 5.4, near Nouméa (Monde) M4.82026-05-19 14:18:39 UTC48.8 kmPort Vila M4.82026-05-19 14:18:40 UTC45.9 kmPort Vila M4.72026-05-19 14:18:41 UTC53.6 kmPort Vila M4.92026-05-31 02:47:57 UTC104.5 kmVanuatu Islands M5.02026-05-31 02:48:01 UTC106.6 km M5.02026-06-11 21:32:47 UTC127.2 kmTafea M5.02026-06-11 21:32:47 UTC127.2 kmTafea M5.22026-06-11 21:32:48 UTC123.3 kmTamsal

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#4
Earlier events M≥4121
Earlier events M≥553
Compared since2025-01-01

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.12026-03-20 02:30:33 UTC118.0 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) WSW (az= 247.2) from Fortuna Foothills, AZ M6.12026-03-20 02:30:33 UTC120.6 kmVanuatu Islands M6.02026-05-19 02:29:24 UTC11.3 kmVanuatu Islands M5.92025-05-11 11:22:21 UTC65.8 km M5.92025-02-10 00:09:42 UTC87.7 km53 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
656
Country (24h)
—
—
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