Vanuatu earthquakes

M6.4 earthquake 91 km S of Isangel, Vanuatu

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck 91 km S of Isangel, Vanuatu on Thu, Sep 14, 1972, 1:33 AM GMT+11 (14:33 UTC), 37 km (23 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M7.0 68 km SSW of Isangel, Vanuatu. This one was a foreshock.

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Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude
6.4 (mw), strong
Local time
UTC
1972-09-13 14:33:40 UTC
Depth
37.1 km (23.1 mi), shallow
Epicenter
20.352° S, 169.118° E
Region
Vanuatu
Tsunami flag
No
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Magnitude uncertainty
±0.30
Depth from
From location

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 3.4 and up: 12 in the 60 days after this one and 6 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem769369. Read Tue, Sep 29, 2026, 10:09 PM UTC.