Vanuatu earthquakes

M4.8 earthquake 60 km W of Port-Vila, Vanuatu

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck 60 km W of Port-Vila, Vanuatu on Mon, Aug 27, 1979, 8:30 AM GMT+11 (21:30 UTC), 10 km (6 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M4.9 71 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu. This one was a foreshock.

Port-Vila forecastMore in Vanuatu

Map

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

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The earthquake

Magnitude
4.8 (mb), light
Local time
UTC
1979-08-26 21:30:13 UTC
Depth
10.0 km (6.2 mi), shallow
Epicenter
17.658° S, 167.752° 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.

Depth from
OPERATOR_ASSIGNED
Stations used
28

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.8 and up: 9 in the 60 days after this one and 12 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp00012n8. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 11:24 AM UTC.