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Vanuatu · Malampa

M4.8 Earthquake near Malampa (Vanuatu)

UTC time: 2026-09-17 06:32:13 UTC Local time: —
Earthquake newsQuakeMap24
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

On September 17, 2026 at 06:32 UTC, a magnitude M4.8 earthquake occurred near Malampa (Vanuatu). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 37 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

ID
6c4ae60cc1a5e98d46aa7133d81efa03cee75bc8
Magnitude
M4.8
Depth
36.7 km
UTC time
2026-09-17 06:32:13 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Vanuatu
State
Malampa
City
Malampa
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-16.66260, 167.55710
Temperature
21.1°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 36.7 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 36.7 km
Shallow
36.7 km
36.7 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 80 km away

Volcanoes nearby

  • Ambrym
    Distance: 76 km ·Shield(pyroclastic) ·Elevation: 1'334 m ·Last eruption: 2024 ·Vanuatu
  • Lopevi
    Distance: 86 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'413 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Vanuatu
  • East Epi
    Distance: 89 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 833 m ·Last eruption: 2023 ·Vanuatu
  • Kuwae
    Distance: 104 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -2 m ·Last eruption: 1974 ·Vanuatu
  • Nguna-Emau
    Distance: 122 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 589 m ·Vanuatu
  • Ambae Activity reported
    Distance: 145 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'496 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu

Radius · 50 km

Nearby infrastructure

Up to 3 nearest sites per category

Airports

  • Lamap AirportVanuatu · LPM · NVSL
    36.7 kmStraight-line distance

Source: OurAirports · Dataset date: 2026-09-20

This selection shows geographic proximity, not a hazard zone or confirmed impacts. Distances use recorded site coordinates. Sources & data dates

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, 52 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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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)
597
Country (24h)
Vanuatu
0
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