August 1, 2007 Earthquake: Luganville, Vanuatu Islands
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Luganville, Vanuatu Islands on August 1, 2007 at 17:08:51 UTC, 120 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
- August 1, 2007
- Time
- 17:08:51 UTC
- Place
- Luganville, Vanuatu Islands
- Magnitude
- 7.2 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 120 km (75 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 15.595° S, 167.680° E
- Country
- Vanuatu
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Houses damaged
- Few (about 1 to 50)
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.
Some buildings, roads and a bridge damaged (VII) at Luganville. Power outages also occurred at Luganville. Felt at Port-Olry. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- November 26, 1999, Pentecost, Vanuatu Islands
- October 27, 1971, Espiritu Santo, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- July 27, 1990, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands
- March 19, 1905, Malo Pass, Vanuatu
- July 8, 1909, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands
- August 11, 1965, Vanuatu Islands
- April 28, 2016, Vanuatu Islands
- November 22, 2023, Maewo, Vanuatu Islands
- August 1892, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands
- December 29, 1973, Luganville, Lamap, Vanuatu Islands
- August 13, 1965, Vanuatu Islands
- February 19, 2015, Vanuatu Islands
- December 15, 2018, Ambrym Island, Vanuatu Islands
- July 13, 1994, Vanuatu Islands
- November 27, 2002, Mere Lava Island, Vanuatu Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 2007The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2007Recent 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 7600.