Magnitude
M6.1
- Depth
- 188.1 km
- Source
- USGS
Sanma · Sanma
Country overviewVanuatu · Sanma
M6.1 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu)
Earthquake newsQuakeMap24
Archive record · original publication time was not recorded
Automatically generated from measurement data by QuakeMap24. Values may change after further analysis.
Map
About this earthquake
On August 16, 2026 at 03:20 UTC, a magnitude M6.1 earthquake occurred near Sanma (Vanuatu). The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 188 km. Events of this size are considered strong and can be dangerous in inhabited regions.
The data is provided by USGS and cross-checked across seismological networks.
Details
Depth profile
Intermediate
188.1 km
188.1 km — deeper than the regional average (93.6 km)
Regional average: 93.6 km
Why depth matters
Intermediate-depth quakes are felt across a wider area but usually cause less surface damage.
Depth classes per USGS
Estimated impact
Green
No or minimal impact expected.
Estimated population exposed
1
Felt reports · max reported intensity 3.4
Ground shaking
IV
Light · Intensity (MMI) IV
Felt by many, no damage.
Tectonic context
Located on the New Hebrides Plate.
Near the boundary New Hebrides ↔ Pacific · about 100 km away
Nearby population centers
Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.
PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Port Vila374.2 kmS35'901
GeoNames · CC BY 4.0
Volcanoes nearby
Radius · 100 km
Nearby infrastructure
Airports
- North West Santo Airport77.8 kmStraight-line distance
Vanuatu · OLJ · NVSZ - Sola Airport85.8 kmStraight-line distanceVanuatu · SLH · NVSC
Source: OurAirports · Dataset date: 2026-10-05
This selection shows geographic proximity, not a hazard zone or confirmed impacts. Distances use recorded site coordinates. Sources & data dates
Subsequent earthquakes nearby
Events recorded after this earthquake within 250 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.
First 6 hours0
First 24 hours0
First 72 hours0
Strongest subsequent eventM5.2
Comparison of seismic sources
6 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.5 to M6.1.
Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.
SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM6.0140.1 km4.7 km
GFZM6.0155.0 km5.0 km
INGVM6.0158.6 km7.1 km
RESIFM5.5157.1 km7.5 km
SCEDCM6.1188.2 km0.0 km
USGSM6.1188.1 km0.0 km
Vanuatu
Context for this earthquake
05 Oct 2025 – 05 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 85 Catalogue entries
Sufficiently reliable matching data are not currently available for a direct comparison. The area profile shows the available records and their limitations.
Open seismic profileHistorical context nearby
Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 250 km.
Magnitude rank#13
Earlier events M≥4197
Earlier events M≥591
Compared since2025-01-04
The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.
Strongest earlier events
Historic earthquake map · Vanuatu
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.
Country statistics · Vanuatu
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.
Stats (last 24h)
Global (24h)
604
Country (24h)
Vanuatu
1