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Vanuatu · Sanma

M6.1 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu)

UTC time: 2026-02-14 02:27:39 UTC Local time: —
Earthquake newsQuakeMap24
Archive record · original publication time was not recorded

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

Map

M6.1 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu) · 2026-02-14 — Map showing the location of the epicenter
M6.1 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu) · 2026-02-14 — Map showing the location of the epicenter

About this earthquake

A magnitude M6.1 earthquake was recorded near Sanma (Vanuatu) on February 14, 2026 at 02:27 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 cause significant damage in populated areas.

The event was recorded by RESIF.

Details

ID
5829d73467d02eb31a886f5884312d066886eadf
Magnitude
M6.1
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-02-14 02:27:39 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Vanuatu
State
Sanma
City
Sanma
Source
resif
Coordinates
-14.96775, 166.52441
Temperature
32.8°C

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 (93.6 km)
Regional average: 93.6 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 Vila362.2 kmSE35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Gaua
    Distance: 131 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 729 m ·Last eruption: 2022 ·Vanuatu
  • Ambae Activity reported
    Distance: 148 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'496 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Suretamatai
    Distance: 165 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 921 m ·Last eruption: 1966 ·Vanuatu
  • Motlav
    Distance: 190 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 411 m ·Vanuatu
  • Ambrym Activity reported
    Distance: 223 km ·Shield(pyroclastic) ·Elevation: 1'334 m ·Last eruption: 2024 ·Vanuatu
  • Lopevi
    Distance: 259 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'413 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Vanuatu

Radius · 100 km

Nearby infrastructure

Up to 3 nearest sites per category

Airports

  • North West Santo AirportVanuatu · OLJ · NVSZ
    10.2 kmStraight-line distance
  • Santo Pekoa International AirportVanuatu · SON · NVSS
    95.6 kmStraight-line distance

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 hours1
First 24 hours1
First 72 hours1
Strongest subsequent eventM5.8
M5.62026-02-14 02:27:42 UTC88.1 km M5.22026-02-18 00:45:36 UTC89.3 kmTorba M5.02026-02-18 00:45:37 UTC34.3 kmSanma M5.02026-02-20 14:56:37 UTC88.1 km M5.42026-02-21 16:42:02 UTC88.1 km M4.92026-02-22 01:22:55 UTC50.2 kmLambu M5.02026-02-23 03:12:34 UTC198.7 kmMalampa M4.72026-02-23 03:12:35 UTC198.3 kmMalampa M5.82026-03-06 14:27:43 UTC88.1 km M4.72026-03-10 09:51:19 UTC124.2 kmVanuatu Islands

Comparison of seismic sources

3 sources currently report magnitudes from M6.1 to M6.4.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
NNSNM6.410.0 km11.7 km
USPM6.110.0 km15.8 km
RESIFM6.110.0 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 profile

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 250 km.

Magnitude rank#2
Earlier events M≥4123
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

M6.42026-02-14 02:27:37 UTC11.7 kmSanma M5.92025-05-28 08:57:48 UTC112.3 km52 km SW of Sola, Vanuatu M5.92025-05-28 08:57:48 UTC120.1 kmVanuatu Islands M5.92025-05-28 08:57:47 UTC121.5 kmVANUATU M5.82025-10-07 22:36:22 UTC181.2 kmVanuatu Islands [Sea: 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.

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