December 2, 1950 Earthquake: Vanuatu Islands
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Vanuatu Islands on December 2, 1950 at 19:51:49 UTC, 60 km below the surface. 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
- December 2, 1950
- Time
- 19:51:49 UTC
- Place
- Vanuatu Islands
- Magnitude
- 7.8 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 60 km (37 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 18.250° S, 167.500° 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.
December 2, 1950, 19:51:49 UTC, 18.3 S, 167.5 E, depth 60 km, magnitude 8.1 MS. (reference #88)
December 2, 1950, 19:51:49 UTC, 18.25 S, 167.5 E, magnitude 7.75 MS. (reference #130)
December 2, 1950, S. New Hebrides, magnitude 8.1 MS. (reference #1002)
December 2, 19650, 19:51:49 UTC, 18.25 S, 167.5 E, depth 60 km, magnitude 7.75 MS. (reference #1092)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 17, 2024, Efate, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- January 24, 1927, Port Vila, Vanuatu
- May 10, 1875, Vanuatu Islands
- February 2, 2012, Vanuatu Islands
- August 20, 2011, Vanuatu Islands
- June 2, 2009, Tongoa, Vanuatu Islands
- August 20, 2011, Vanuatu Islands
- January 2, 2002, Efate, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- July 23, 1961, Vanuatu Islands
- August 10, 2010, Vanuatu Islands
- July 31, 1893, Vanuatu Islands
- November 22, 1905, Port Vila, Vanuatu
- November 24, 1905, Port Vila, Vanuatu
- March 22, 1925, Vanuatu Islands
- January 9, 2011, Vanuatu Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 1950The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1950Recent 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 3959.