April 9, 2008 Earthquake: Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia on April 9, 2008 at 12:46:12 UTC, 33 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
- April 9, 2008
- Time
- 12:46:12 UTC
- Place
- Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- Magnitude
- 7.3 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 20.071° S, 168.892° E
- Country
- New Caledonia
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.
An earthquake occurred on Apr 9, 2008 (11:46 PM local time in Loyalty Islands) 85 km SSW of Isangel, Tanna, Vanuatu. (reference #1053). The earthquake generated a tsunami that was recorded in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 28, 1875, Lifou Island, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- November 2, 1972, Tanna, Anatom, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- June 1, 1910, Vanuatu Islands
- April 28, 2008, Vanuatu Islands
- September 20, 1920, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- October 14, 1913, Vanuatu Islands
- May 10, 2011, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- February 12, 1994, Vanuatu Islands
- December 7, 2023, Tanna Island, Vanuatu
- January 13, 2011, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- March 25, 2007, Vanuatu Islands
- December 25, 2010, Vanuatu Islands
- January 9, 2011, Vanuatu Islands
- November 24, 1944, Vanuatu Islands
- July 2, 1953, Vanuatu Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 2008The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2008Recent 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 7800.