March 9, 2012 Earthquake: Vanuatu Islands
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Vanuatu Islands on March 9, 2012 at 07:09:50 UTC, 16 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
- March 9, 2012
- Time
- 07:09:50 UTC
- Place
- Vanuatu Islands
- Magnitude
- 6.7 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 16 km (10 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 19.125° S, 169.613° 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.
Complex earthquake. A small event is followed by a larger one
about 4 seconds later. Depth based on first event. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 28, 1875, Lifou Island, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- June 16, 1910, Vanuatu Islands
- November 24, 1944, Vanuatu Islands
- July 2, 1953, Vanuatu Islands
- October 14, 1913, Vanuatu Islands
- July 13, 1952, Vanuatu Islands
- April 14, 2012, Vanuatu Islands
- April 28, 2008, Vanuatu Islands
- June 1, 1910, Vanuatu Islands
- August 17, 1863, Vanuatu Islands
- January 10, 1878, Tanna Island, Vanuatu
- February 11, 1878, Vanuatu Islands
- August 1878, Vanuatu Islands
- November 2, 1972, Tanna, Anatom, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- April 9, 2008, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
More
Significant earthquakes of 2012The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2012Recent 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 10413.