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Vanuatu · Tafea

M4.9 Earthquake near Tafea (Vanuatu)

UTC time: 2026-09-11 02:28:13 UTC Local time: —
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Archive record · original publication time was not recorded Content updated:

Automatically generated from measurement data by QuakeMap24. Values may change after further analysis.

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About this earthquake

A magnitude M4.9 earthquake was recorded near Tafea (Vanuatu) on September 11, 2026 at 02:28 UTC. With a focal depth of about 19 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Tremors of this size are distinctly felt and can occasionally cause light damage.

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

Details

ID
41a7e64c30cba47e9fd051823f70547a7965612b
Magnitude
M4.9
Depth
18.7 km
UTC time
2026-09-11 02:28:13 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Vanuatu
State
Tafea
City
Tafea
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-18.92590, 169.39530
Temperature
22.7°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 18.7 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 18.7 km
Shallow
18.7 km
18.7 km — shallower than the regional average (98.2 km)
Regional average: 98.2 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 172 km away

Volcanoes nearby

  • Traitor's Head
    Distance: 25 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 817 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Vanuatu
  • Yasur
    Distance: 68 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 361 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Nguna-Emau
    Distance: 197 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 589 m ·Vanuatu
  • Gemini-Oscostar
    Distance: 239 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1996 ·Vanuatu
  • Kuwae
    Distance: 251 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -2 m ·Last eruption: 1974 ·Vanuatu
  • East Epi
    Distance: 272 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 833 m ·Last eruption: 2023 ·Vanuatu

Vanuatu

Context for this earthquake

20 Sep 2025 – 20 Sep 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 93 Catalogue entries

Of 92 other entries for this area and period, 44 have a higher stored magnitude. Different magnitude types and reports not yet merged limit the comparison.

Open seismic profile

Historic earthquake map · Vanuatu

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Country statistics · Vanuatu

Country overview
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Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
590
Country (24h)
Vanuatu
0
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