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M5.2 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.2 Earthquake near Tafea (Vanuatu)

UTC time: 2026-08-20 00:20:16 UTC Local time: —
M5.2 earthquake near Tafea on Aug 20, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.2 Earthquake near Tafea (Vanuatu) · 2026-08-20 00:20:16 UTC

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.2 earthquake was recorded near Tafea (Vanuatu) on August 20, 2026 at 00:20 UTC. With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

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

Details

Magnitude
M5.2
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-08-20 00:20:16 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Vanuatu
State
Tafea
City
Tafea
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-20.01000, 169.49000
Temperature
21.8°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 km
10 km — shallower than the regional average (104.2 km)
Regional average: 104.2 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

Tectonic context

Located on the New Hebrides Plate.
Near the boundary New Hebrides ↔ Australia · about 124 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Port Vila281.5 kmNW35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Yasur
    Distance: 53 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 361 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Gemini-Oscostar
    Distance: 125 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1996 ·Vanuatu
  • Traitor's Head
    Distance: 142 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 817 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Vanuatu
  • Nguna-Emau
    Distance: 309 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 589 m ·Vanuatu
  • Matthew Island
    Distance: 320 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 177 m ·Last eruption: 1956 ·France - claimed by Vanuatu
  • Kuwae
    Distance: 368 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -2 m ·Last eruption: 1974 ·Vanuatu

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#22
Earlier events M≥4100
Earlier events M≥555
Compared since2025-01-01

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.12026-07-08 09:50:28 UTC94.9 kmVanuatu [Sea] M6.12026-03-20 02:30:33 UTC142.7 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) WSW (az= 247.2) from Fortuna Foothills, AZ M6.12026-03-20 02:30:33 UTC134.3 kmVanuatu Islands M6.12026-03-20 02:30:32 UTC147.0 km105 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu M5.72025-03-28 01:20:04 UTC118.7 km66 km NW of Isangel, Vanuatu

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)
638
Country (24h)
Vanuatu
0
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No recent events available.

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