January 31, 2023 Tsunami: East Epi Volcano, Vanuatu

Two main explosions were recorded by different monitoring networks, including seismic stations and the infrasound array located in Papua New Guinea (Figure 3). Although this had no apparent consequence on the nearby communities, a small tsunami was however reported by locals and recorded on the coastal tide gauges of Port-Vila to the South and Luganville to the North showing a maximum amplitude of ~5 cm. (reference #13679)

31 January 2023 (east Epi volcano eruption). Between 25 and 31 January 2023 (UTC), an eruption occurred at one of the east Epi submarine volcanoes. The eruption evolved into a Surtseyan-style eruption on 31 January and was followed by a small tsunami showing an amplitude of ~5 cm recorded on the coastal tide gauges of Port Vila to the south and Luganville to the north, located at distances of 125 and 175 km from the eruption area, respectively (Roger et al., 2023b). (reference #13893)

Between the 25th and the 31st of January 2023 an eruption occurred several kilometres East of Epi Island, Vanuatu, an area known to host a submarine volcanic zone including several cones […] The eruption evolved to Surtseyan on the 31st, producing ash and gas columns reaching more than 100 m above sea level and small pyroclastic surge moving across the water, with subsequent pumice rafts and water discolouration […] Although this had no apparent consequences on the nearby communities, a small tsunami was however reported by locals and recorded on the coastal tide gauges of Port Vila ~ 125 km to the south and Luganville ~ 175 km to the north showing maximum amplitude of ~ 5 cm. (reference #14376)