December 15, 2018 Earthquake: Ambrym Island, Vanuatu Islands
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Ambrym Island, Vanuatu Islands on December 15, 2018 at 20:21:54 UTC, 11 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
- December 15, 2018
- Time
- 20:21:54 UTC
- Place
- Ambrym Island, Vanuatu Islands
- Magnitude
- 5.4 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 11 km (7 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Volcano
- The eruption it came with
- Epicenter
- 16.416° S, 168.220° E
- Country
- Vanuatu
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses damaged
- Few (about 1 to 50)
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.
VMGD observations and seismic data analysis confirm an ongoing emission of ash and gas from eruptive vents from Benbow and Marum craters and ongoing localized earthquake activity in the south eastern part of Ambrym. This earthquake activity is related to the current volcano eruption. Earthquake activity has caused cracks on buildings and land in some areas, especially in the South East Ambrym area. Roads, water supplies, buildings and gardens have been damaged. (reference #12309)
The entire 159 Pamel community members in Southeast Ambrym have relocated themselves to Ulei village nearby as there were some damaged due to earthquake damages in their infrastructures. (reference #12351)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 17, 2024, Efate, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- November 26, 1999, Pentecost, Vanuatu Islands
- October 27, 1971, Espiritu Santo, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- February 19, 2015, Vanuatu Islands
- May 29, 2009, Tongoa, Vanuatu Islands
- May 13, 1903, Vanuatu Islands
- November 19, 1933, Malekula, Vanuatu Islands
- July 13, 1994, Vanuatu Islands
- April 28, 2016, Vanuatu Islands
- August 1, 2007, Luganville, Vanuatu Islands
- August 10, 2010, Vanuatu Islands
- August 11, 1965, Vanuatu Islands
- January 2, 2002, Efate, Port Vila, Vanuatu Islands
- March 19, 1905, Malo Pass, Vanuatu
- July 27, 1990, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands
More
Significant earthquakes of 2018The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2018Recent 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 10382.