February 11, 1878 Earthquake: Vanuatu Islands
A magnitude 8 earthquake struck Vanuatu Islands on February 11, 1878. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- February 11, 1878
- Place
- Vanuatu Islands
- Magnitude
- 8 (Ms)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Volcano
- The eruption it came with
- Epicenter
- 19.000° S, 168.500° E
- Country
- Vanuatu
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Reference #414:
1878, February 11. There was an even stronger earthquake on Tanna Island with the formation of a large sea wave. The hydrography of the port changed. One of the cliffs, Cook's Pyramid, rose 12 m and joined up with the surrounding blocks. On the other hand, one of the high hills collapsed into the sea, forming a new cape. According to Sapper, the volcano began to erupt on February 9 until the 11th.
Reference #1055:
1878, February 11. New Hebrides, Tanna, with sea waves. Intensity I which corresponds to an earthquake of intensity
sufficient to crack walls, break chimneys, to shatter old
buildings or to produce cracks in the ground.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 28, 1875, Lifou Island, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- December 17, 2024, Efate, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- August 17, 1863, Vanuatu Islands
- January 10, 1878, Tanna Island, Vanuatu
- August 1878, Vanuatu Islands
- April 14, 2012, Vanuatu Islands
- January 9, 2011, Vanuatu Islands
- November 24, 1944, Vanuatu Islands
- July 2, 1953, Vanuatu Islands
- March 22, 1925, Vanuatu Islands
- July 23, 1961, Vanuatu Islands
- October 14, 1913, Vanuatu Islands
- May 10, 1875, Vanuatu Islands
- August 20, 2011, Vanuatu Islands
- August 20, 2011, Vanuatu Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 1878The 1800sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 6625.