October 7, 2009 Earthquake: Vanuatu Islands
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Vanuatu Islands on October 7, 2009 at 22:03:14 UTC, 45 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
- October 7, 2009
- Time
- 22:03:14 UTC
- Place
- Vanuatu Islands
- Magnitude
- 7.6 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 45 km (28 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 13.006° S, 166.510° 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.
Felt at Lakatoro, Luganville, Port-Olry, Port-Vila and Sola. Also felt at Honiara, Solomon Islands. (reference #1053)
Two earthquakes occurred on October 7 2009 near the Vanuatu Islands in the southwest Pacific. The first earthquake, magnitude 7.7 at 2203UTC, was located at 13.05S, 166.19E and the second earthquake, magnitude 7.8 at 2218UTC, was located at 12.55S, 166.31E (USGS parameters). Both events triggered a tsunami. Due to the close origin time and location of the sources, it is not possible to determine the amplitude generated by each source. The computed travel time is provided for the first event. (reference #5608)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- November 4, 1953, Solomon Islands
- April 21, 1997, Santa Cruz Islands, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands
- October 7, 2009, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands
- July 8, 1980, Banks, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands
- December 31, 1966, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands
- August 5, 1982, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands
- May 27, 2010, Vanuatu Islands
- December 17, 1957, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands
- July 17, 1980, Santa Cruz Islands, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands
- December 21, 1985, Vanuatu Islands
- November 10, 1910, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands
- November 28, 1985, Vanuatu Islands
- August 11, 1970, Solomon Islands
- December 31, 1966, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands
- July 18, 1934, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon 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 8410.