May 29, 2009 Earthquake: Tongoa, Vanuatu Islands
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Tongoa, Vanuatu Islands on May 29, 2009 at 06:20:14 UTC, 13 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
- May 29, 2009
- Time
- 06:20:14 UTC
- Place
- Tongoa, Vanuatu Islands
- Magnitude
- 5.7 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 13 km (8 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 17.026° S, 168.329° E
- Country
- Vanuatu
The toll
- Injuries
- 10
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Some (about 51 to 100)
- Houses damaged
- Some (about 51 to 100)
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.
Ten people injured, several buildings damaged or destroyed, several roads damaged, water utilities disrupted and landslides occurred on Tongoa. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 17, 2024, Efate, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- November 26, 1999, Pentecost, Vanuatu Islands
- May 13, 1903, Vanuatu Islands
- November 19, 1933, Malekula, Vanuatu Islands
- August 10, 2010, Vanuatu Islands
- December 15, 2018, Ambrym Island, Vanuatu Islands
- February 19, 2015, Vanuatu Islands
- November 22, 1905, Port Vila, Vanuatu
- November 24, 1905, Port Vila, Vanuatu
- July 31, 1893, Vanuatu Islands
- January 2, 2002, Efate, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- June 2, 2009, Tongoa, Vanuatu Islands
- July 13, 1994, Vanuatu Islands
- November 10, 1913, Vanuatu Islands
- August 20, 2011, Vanuatu Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 2009The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2009Recent 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 8384.