M5.6 Depth: 171.0 km

M5.6 Earthquake near 38 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu (Vanuatu)

UTC time: 2025-12-23 20:42:00 UTC Local time: —

M5.6 earthquake near Sanma on Dec 23, 2025 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24 — M5.6 Earthquake near 38 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu (Vanuatu) · 2025-12-23 20:42:00 UTC

About this earthquake

On December 23, 2025 at 20:42 UTC, a magnitude M5.6 earthquake occurred near 38 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu (Vanuatu). The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 171 km. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

Magnitude

M5.6

Depth

171.0 km

UTC time

2025-12-23 20:42:00 UTC

Local time

—

Country

Vanuatu

City

Sanma

Source

usgs

Coordinates

-14.70320, 167.16510

Temperature

27.5°C

Map

Depth profile

Intermediate

171 km

171 km — deeper than the regional average (111.6 km)

Regional average: 111.6 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 Vila358.9 kmS35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

Gaua

Distance: 60 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 729 m ·Last eruption: 2022 ·Vanuatu
Ambae

Distance: 105 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'496 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
Suretamatai

Distance: 106 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 921 m ·Last eruption: 1966 ·Vanuatu
Motlav

Distance: 127 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 411 m ·Vanuatu
Ambrym

Distance: 200 km ·Shield(pyroclastic) ·Elevation: 1'334 m ·Last eruption: 2024 ·Vanuatu
Lopevi

Distance: 237 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'413 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Vanuatu

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 eventM5.6

M5.52026-01-09 23:19:34 UTC124.6 kmTorba M5.62026-01-09 23:19:34 UTC117.4 kmTorba M5.62026-01-09 23:19:36 UTC117.4 kmTorba M5.22026-01-09 23:19:47 UTC105.4 kmTorba M5.02026-01-13 10:43:36 UTC66.4 kmPenama M4.72026-01-13 10:43:38 UTC62.5 kmPenama M4.72026-01-13 10:43:39 UTC62.0 kmSanma M4.62026-01-13 22:30:14 UTC5.3 kmSanma

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#7

Earlier events M≥480

Earlier events M≥535

Compared since2025-01-04

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.92025-05-28 08:57:48 UTC49.9 km52 km SW of Sola, Vanuatu M5.92025-05-28 08:57:48 UTC56.6 kmVanuatu Islands M5.92025-05-28 08:57:47 UTC57.7 kmVANUATU M5.82025-10-07 22:36:22 UTC144.0 kmVanuatu Islands [Sea: Vanuatu] M5.82025-10-07 22:36:19 UTC136.9 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)

732

Country (24h)