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M5.0 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near Southeast of Loyalty Islands

UTC time: 2026-01-20 13:42:47 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.0 earthquake was recorded near Southeast of Loyalty Islands on January 20, 2026 at 13:42 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 damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by GFZ.

Details

Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-01-20 13:42:47 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-21.94000, 169.99000
Temperature
28.5°C

Map

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
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
Mont-Dore354.5 kmW24'680

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Gemini-Oscostar
    Distance: 110 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1996 ·Vanuatu
  • Matthew Island
    Distance: 144 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 177 m ·Last eruption: 1956 ·France - claimed by Vanuatu
  • Hunter Island
    Distance: 218 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 297 m ·Last eruption: 1903 ·France - claimed by Vanuatu
  • Yasur
    Distance: 274 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 361 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Traitor's Head
    Distance: 363 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 817 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Vanuatu

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#12
Earlier events M≥443
Earlier events M≥516
Compared since2025-01-01

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.02026-01-19 13:02:20 UTC57.3 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) WSW (az= 243.6) from Fortuna Foothills, AZ M5.52026-01-19 13:02:21 UTC39.3 kmSoutheast of Loyalty Islands M5.52025-01-01 04:39:18 UTC129.0 km153 km S of Isangel, Vanuatu M5.42025-11-26 18:03:55 UTC84.2 kmSoutheast of Loyalty Islands M5.42025-08-28 11:40:25 UTC130.2 kmVanuatu Islands

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
653
Country (24h)
—
—
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