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Vanuatu · Sanma

M5.2 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu)

UTC time: 2026-09-13 07:19:22 UTC Local time: —
Earthquake newsQuakeMap24
First published: Content updated:

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

Map

M5.2 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu) · 2026-09-13 — Map showing the location of the epicenter
M5.2 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu) · 2026-09-13 — Map showing the location of the epicenter

About this earthquake

On September 13, 2026 at 07:19 UTC, a magnitude M5.2 earthquake occurred near Sanma (Vanuatu). The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 135 km. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

ID
7bb3a181c2eedcc17a29222035be091dfca9f4a7
Magnitude
M5.2
Depth
135.1 km
UTC time
2026-09-13 07:19:22 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Vanuatu
State
Sanma
City
Sanma
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-15.21950, 167.43630
Temperature
24.8°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 135.1 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 135.1 km
Intermediate
135.1 km
135.1 km — deeper than the regional average (98.2 km)
Regional average: 98.2 km
Why depth matters

Intermediate-depth quakes are felt across a wider area but usually cause less surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Tectonic context

Located on the New Hebrides Plate.
Near the boundary New Hebrides ↔ Australia · about 130 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Port Vila295.1 kmS35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Ambae Activity reported
    Distance: 47 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'496 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Gaua
    Distance: 105 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 729 m ·Last eruption: 2022 ·Vanuatu
  • Ambrym
    Distance: 136 km ·Shield(pyroclastic) ·Elevation: 1'334 m ·Last eruption: 2024 ·Vanuatu
  • Suretamatai
    Distance: 158 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 921 m ·Last eruption: 1966 ·Vanuatu
  • Lopevi
    Distance: 173 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'413 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Vanuatu
  • Motlav
    Distance: 174 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 411 m ·Vanuatu

Radius · 100 km

Nearby infrastructure

Up to 3 nearest sites per category

Airports

  • Walaha AirportVanuatu · WLH · NVSW
    34.7 kmStraight-line distance
  • Santo Pekoa International AirportVanuatu · SON · NVSS
    39.3 kmStraight-line distance
  • Longana AirportVanuatu · LOD · NVSG
    57.7 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

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours0
First 24 hours0
First 72 hours0
Strongest subsequent eventM4.7
M4.72026-09-16 09:41:47 UTC48.2 kmLythykeurer

Comparison of seismic sources

2 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.2 to M5.2.

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

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.2135.1 km0.0 km
USGSM5.2135.1 km0.0 km

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, 15 have a higher stored magnitude. Different magnitude types and reports not yet merged limit the comparison.

Open seismic profile

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#37
Earlier events M≥4138
Earlier events M≥572
Compared since2025-01-04

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

Strongest earlier events

M7.32026-03-30 08:44:13 UTC17.1 km48 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu M7.32026-03-30 08:44:10 UTC15.1 kmVANUATU M7.32026-03-30 08:44:08 UTC9.6 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) WSW (az= 251.1) from Quartzsite, AZ M7.32026-03-30 08:44:08 UTC8.2 kmVanuatu Islands M7.32026-03-30 08:44:08 UTC11.1 kmVanuatu Islands

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)
590
Country (24h)
Vanuatu
0
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Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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