November 27, 2002 Earthquake: Mere Lava Island, Vanuatu Islands
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Mere Lava Island, Vanuatu Islands on November 27, 2002 at 16:43:17 UTC, 33 km below the surface.
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
- November 27, 2002
- Time
- 16:43:17 UTC
- Place
- Mere Lava Island, Vanuatu Islands
- Magnitude
- 5.9 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 14.490° S, 167.827° E
- Country
- Vanuatu
The toll
- Injuries
- 3
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses damaged
- 100 with its tsunami and other effects
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Three people injured, at least 100 buildings damaged,
several water lines damaged or destroyed and
landslides blocked many roads on Mere Lava. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- October 27, 1971, Espiritu Santo, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- May 12, 1980, Vanuatu Islands
- July 6, 1987, Vanuatu Islands
- November 22, 2023, Maewo, Vanuatu Islands
- July 27, 1990, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands
- April 3, 2016, Vanuatu Islands
- December 29, 1973, Luganville, Lamap, Vanuatu Islands
- August 1, 2007, Luganville, Vanuatu Islands
- July 8, 1909, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands
- December 28, 1973, Espiritu Santo, Luganille, Vanuatu Islands
- August 1892, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands
- March 19, 1905, Malo Pass, Vanuatu
- August 11, 1970, Solomon Islands
- December 21, 1985, Vanuatu Islands
- November 10, 1910, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 2002The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2002Recent 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 5665.