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M5.6 Depth: 259.0 km

M5.6 Earthquake near Vanuatu Islands [Sea: Vanuatu]

UTC time: 2026-04-02 23:22:14 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.6 earthquake was recorded near Vanuatu Islands [Sea: Vanuatu] on April 2, 2026 at 23:22 UTC. At around 259 km, the focal depth places this among intermediate-depth events. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

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

Details

Magnitude
M5.6
Depth
259.0 km
UTC time
2026-04-02 23:22:14 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
ingv
Coordinates
-19.01600, 169.48400
Temperature
27.2°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 259 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 259 km
Intermediate
259 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 Vila188.4 kmNW35'901

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Traitor's Head
    Distance: 39 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 817 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Vanuatu
  • Yasur
    Distance: 58 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 361 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Vanuatu
  • Nguna-Emau
    Distance: 211 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 589 m ·Vanuatu
  • Gemini-Oscostar
    Distance: 226 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1996 ·Vanuatu
  • Kuwae
    Distance: 263 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -2 m ·Last eruption: 1974 ·Vanuatu
  • East Epi
    Distance: 284 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 833 m ·Last eruption: 2023 ·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 eventM4.5
M4.52026-04-24 00:21:22 UTC57.3 kmVANUATU

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#5
Earlier events M≥462
Earlier events M≥531
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 UTC122.0 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) WSW (az= 247.2) from Fortuna Foothills, AZ M6.12026-03-20 02:30:33 UTC111.8 kmVanuatu Islands M6.12026-03-20 02:30:32 UTC125.6 km105 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu M5.72025-03-28 01:20:04 UTC75.3 km66 km NW of Isangel, Vanuatu M5.62026-04-02 23:22:13 UTC13.4 kmVanuatu Islands

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
670
Country (24h)
—
—
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