Vanuatu earthquakes

M4.7 earthquake 77 km WSW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck 77 km WSW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu on Sun, Dec 14, 1986, 8:53 PM GMT+12 (08:53 UTC), 10 km (6 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.0 60 km WSW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu. This one was a foreshock.

Port-Vila forecastMore in Vanuatu

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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
4.7 (mb), light
Local time
UTC
1986-12-14 08:53:01 UTC
Depth
10.0 km (6.2 mi), shallow
Epicenter
17.948° S, 167.612° 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
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Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.7 and up: 8 in the 60 days after this one and 2 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp00030vm. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 8:43 PM UTC.