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Vanuatu · Sanma

M4.6 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu)

UTC time: 2026-10-05 11:47:08 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 October 5, 2026 at 11:47 UTC, a magnitude M4.6 earthquake occurred near Sanma (Vanuatu). With a focal depth of about 35 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

ID
8a4ba72cd9f281105085fe515f73a61875213d85
Magnitude
M4.6
Depth
35.0 km
UTC time
2026-10-05 11:47:08 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Vanuatu
State
Sanma
City
Sanma
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-15.71570, 167.14840
Temperature
19.9°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 35 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 35 km
Shallow
35 km
35 km — shallower than the regional average (97.4 km)
Regional average: 97.4 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 91 km away

Volcanoes nearby

  • Ambae Activity reported
    Distance: 82 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'496 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Ambrym Activity reported
    Distance: 120 km ·Shield(pyroclastic) ·Elevation: 1'334 m ·Last eruption: 2024 ·Vanuatu
  • Lopevi
    Distance: 155 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'413 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Vanuatu
  • Gaua
    Distance: 164 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 729 m ·Last eruption: 2022 ·Vanuatu
  • East Epi
    Distance: 170 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 833 m ·Last eruption: 2023 ·Vanuatu
  • Kuwae
    Distance: 192 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -2 m ·Last eruption: 1974 ·Vanuatu

Radius · 50 km

Nearby infrastructure

Up to 3 nearest sites per category

Airports

  • Santo Pekoa International AirportVanuatu · SON · NVSS
    24.7 kmStraight-line distance
  • Norsup AirportVanuatu · NUS · NVSP
    48.7 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

Vanuatu

Context for this earthquake

05 Oct 2025 – 05 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 85 Catalogue entries

Of 84 other entries for this area and period, 71 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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Country statistics · Vanuatu

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
586
Country (24h)
Vanuatu
1
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