August 20, 2011 Earthquake: Vanuatu Islands
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Vanuatu Islands on August 20, 2011 at 18:19:23 UTC, 28 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
- August 20, 2011
- Time
- 18:19:23 UTC
- Place
- Vanuatu Islands
- Magnitude
- 7 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 28 km (17 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 18.311° S, 168.218° 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 (V) at Port-Vila. Also felt at Luganville. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 28, 1875, Lifou Island, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- December 17, 2024, Efate, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- August 20, 2011, Vanuatu Islands
- July 23, 1961, Vanuatu Islands
- May 10, 1875, Vanuatu Islands
- March 22, 1925, Vanuatu Islands
- January 24, 1927, Port Vila, Vanuatu
- July 31, 1893, Vanuatu Islands
- June 2, 2009, Tongoa, Vanuatu Islands
- November 22, 1905, Port Vila, Vanuatu
- November 24, 1905, Port Vila, Vanuatu
- December 2, 1950, Vanuatu Islands
- August 17, 1863, Vanuatu Islands
- January 10, 1878, Tanna Island, Vanuatu
- February 11, 1878, Vanuatu Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 2011The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2011Recent 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 9837.