Vanuatu earthquakes

M4.8 earthquake 81 km SSE of Sola, Vanuatu

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck 81 km SSE of Sola, Vanuatu on Tue, May 13, 1980, 4:53 AM GMT+11 (17:53 UTC), 33 km (21 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.0 96 km SSE of Sola, Vanuatu. This one was a foreshock.

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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
1980-05-12 17:53:37 UTC
Depth
33.0 km (20.5 mi), shallow
Epicenter
14.574° S, 167.793° 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
13

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.8 and up: 7 in the 60 days after this one and 3 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 4.181 km SSE of Sola, Vanuatu · 16933 days ago · 33 km deep · 9 km away
  2. 3.853 km SSE of Sola, Vanuatu · 16933 days ago · 33 km deep · 29 km away
  3. 4.877 km SSE of Sola, Vanuatu · 16933 days ago · 33 km deep · 9 km away
  4. 5.096 km SSE of Sola, Vanuatu · 16933 days ago · 43 km deep · 22 km away
  5. 4.527 km ESE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu · 16920 days ago · 127 km deep · 87 km away
  6. 5.240 km ESE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu · 16920 days ago · 142 km deep · 83 km away
  7. 4.843 km SSW of Sola, Vanuatu · 16913 days ago · 213 km deep · 61 km away

Before

  1. 6.175 km SSE of Sola, Vanuatu · 16934 days ago · 20 km deep · 17 km away
  2. 4.946 km SW of Sola, Vanuatu · 16936 days ago · 203 km deep · 66 km away
  3. 5.419 km NE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu · 16950 days ago · 114 km deep · 75 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0001767. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 11:18 AM UTC.