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Vanuatu · Sanma

M5.1 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu)

UTC time: 2026-07-09 12:52:57 UTC Local time: —
Earthquake newsQuakeMap24
Archive record · original publication time was not recorded

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

Map

M5.1 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu) · 2026-07-09 — Map showing the location of the epicenter
M5.1 Earthquake near Sanma (Vanuatu) · 2026-07-09 — Map showing the location of the epicenter

About this earthquake

On July 9, 2026 at 12:52 UTC, a magnitude M5.1 earthquake occurred near Sanma (Vanuatu). The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 160 km. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

ID
ce4bb309b32e77a7265099a2f351e2b5b4329be7
Magnitude
M5.1
Depth
160.2 km
UTC time
2026-07-09 12:52:57 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Vanuatu
State
Sanma
City
Sanma
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-14.56870, 167.32640
Temperature
24.5°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 160.2 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 160.2 km
Intermediate
160.2 km
160.2 km — deeper than the regional average (92.2 km)
Regional average: 92.2 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 ↔ Pacific · about 104 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Port Vila367.7 kmS35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Gaua
    Distance: 38 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 729 m ·Last eruption: 2022 ·Vanuatu
  • Suretamatai
    Distance: 87 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 921 m ·Last eruption: 1966 ·Vanuatu
  • Ambae Activity reported
    Distance: 106 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'496 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Motlav
    Distance: 107 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 411 m ·Vanuatu
  • Ambrym Activity reported
    Distance: 205 km ·Shield(pyroclastic) ·Elevation: 1'334 m ·Last eruption: 2024 ·Vanuatu
  • Lopevi
    Distance: 242 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'413 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Vanuatu

Radius · 100 km

Nearby infrastructure

Up to 3 nearest sites per category

Airports

  • Sola AirportVanuatu · SLH · NVSC
    82.9 kmStraight-line distance
  • North West Santo AirportVanuatu · OLJ · NVSZ
    89.7 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

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 hours1
Strongest subsequent eventM5.1
M4.62026-07-12 03:04:07 UTC57.8 kmSanma M4.82026-07-20 12:53:50 UTC7.9 kmSanma M4.92026-07-22 21:42:50 UTC74.1 kmPenama M5.12026-07-24 21:19:45 UTC74.5 kmTorba M4.92026-07-24 22:39:19 UTC80.4 kmSola (Sol) M5.02026-07-24 23:44:10 UTC74.5 kmTorba M5.02026-07-27 20:10:01 UTC76.3 kmTorba

Comparison of seismic sources

3 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.1 to M5.2.

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

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.2135.1 km31.7 km
USGSM5.1160.2 km0.0 km
GFZM5.1172.0 km5.4 km

Vanuatu

Context for this earthquake

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

Sufficiently reliable matching data are not currently available for a direct comparison. The area profile shows the available records and their limitations.

Open seismic profile

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#47
Earlier events M≥4126
Earlier events M≥569
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 UTC86.7 km48 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu M7.32026-03-30 08:44:10 UTC79.9 kmVANUATU M7.32026-03-30 08:44:08 UTC81.5 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) WSW (az= 251.1) from Quartzsite, AZ M7.32026-03-30 08:44:08 UTC80.8 kmVanuatu Islands M7.32026-03-30 08:44:08 UTC84.1 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.

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