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M5.6 Depth: 263.0 km

M5.6 Earthquake near Vanuatu Islands

UTC time: 2026-04-02 23:22:13 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On April 2, 2026 at 23:22 UTC, a magnitude M5.6 earthquake occurred near Vanuatu Islands. The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 263 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

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

Details

Magnitude
M5.6
Depth
263.0 km
UTC time
2026-04-02 23:22:13 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-18.90000, 169.52000
Temperature
27.2°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 263 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 263 km
Intermediate
263 km
Why depth matters

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

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Port Vila181.5 kmNW35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Traitor's Head
    Distance: 34 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 817 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Vanuatu
  • Yasur
    Distance: 71 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 361 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Nguna-Emau
    Distance: 203 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 589 m ·Vanuatu
  • Gemini-Oscostar
    Distance: 237 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1996 ·Vanuatu
  • Kuwae
    Distance: 253 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -2 m ·Last eruption: 1974 ·Vanuatu
  • East Epi
    Distance: 274 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 833 m ·Last eruption: 2023 ·Vanuatu

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#5
Earlier events M≥460
Earlier events M≥529
Compared since2025-01-21

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.12026-03-20 02:30:33 UTC129.5 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) WSW (az= 247.2) from Fortuna Foothills, AZ M6.12026-03-20 02:30:33 UTC119.5 kmVanuatu Islands M6.12026-03-20 02:30:32 UTC132.8 km105 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu M5.72025-03-28 01:20:04 UTC82.9 km66 km NW of Isangel, Vanuatu M5.42026-04-02 23:21:44 UTC13.3 km

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
668
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
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No recent events available.

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