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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Vanuatu

Vanuatu has catalogued 7,572 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 10th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.9.

Vanuatu ranks 10th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth, averaging about 361 M4+ events a year alongside 555 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1905 to 2026, peaking in 1994.

7,572
M4+ events (since 2005)
555
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.9
Strongest
~361
M4+ per year

The verdict

Vanuatu is among the more seismically active places worldwide, with 7,572 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 555 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.9.

1994
busiest year (16 major events)
61 km
average recorded event depth
75%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.6 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Mexico sits immediately above at 8,356 events and New Zealand sits immediately below at 7,523.

Where Vanuatu sits in the catalog

Rank 10th of 187 tracked countries (95th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Mexico sits immediately above at 8,356 events and New Zealand sits immediately below at 7,523.

Vanuatu's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

7,572 Top 5% higher than 95% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). Below this entry. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 4,000–4,500: 3 countries (2%). Below this entry. 4,500–5,000: 3 countries (2%). Below this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). This entry sits in this band. Vanuatu 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

How Vanuatu compares to its nearest peers

Vanuatu ranks in the 95th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 19 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Vanuatu vs. its 19 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 20 entities by M4+ events since 2005 (X) and Strongest recorded magnitude (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Frequent and severeRare but severeFrequent, capped so farLower on both axes 010,00020,00030,00040,000 M6.5M7M7.5M8M8.5M9M9.5 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Vanuatu vs. its 19 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 20 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Indonesia 37,560 M8.6
Japan 27,851 M9.1
United States 17,280 M8.2
Papua New Guinea 15,655 M7.9
Philippines 14,262 M7.8
Chile 13,836 M8.8
Russia 12,525 M8.8
Tonga 10,847 M7.6
Mexico 8,356 M8.2
Vanuatu (this page) 7,572 M7.8
New Zealand 7,523 M8.1
Solomon Islands 6,129 M7.8
China 4,952 M7.9
Greece 4,606 M7.0
Peru 4,598 M8.0
Fiji 4,498 M7.9
Argentina 4,379 M7.0
India 4,086 M7.5
Iran 3,554 M7.7
Afghanistan 3,478 M7.5

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Vanuatu by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Vanuatu's most active year for major earthquakes was 1994 (16 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2005–present
0%100%1.9%
Share of Vanuatu's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

146 of 7,572 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 555 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Vanuatu.

How the 555 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 86.8%

M7.0-7.9

73

13.2%

M6.0-6.9

482

86.8%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 555 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 61 km.

Vanuatu75.1%24.7%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Vanuatu's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

417

75.1% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

137

24.7% of events

Deep (>300 km)

1

0.2% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Vanuatu

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.9 99 km SW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 30.0 km
7.8 28 km ESE of Isangel, Vanuatu 100.0 km
7.8 196 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu 35.0 km
7.8 186 km NNW of Sola, Vanuatu 123.6 km
7.7 148 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu 45.0 km
7.7 171 km NNW of Sola, Vanuatu 33.0 km
7.7 45 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 50.0 km
7.6 31 km S of Luganville, Vanuatu 47.6 km
7.6 63 km NW of Isangel, Vanuatu 125.0 km
7.5 92 km ESE of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 33.0 km

Significant earthquake record (555 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Vanuatu since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
7.3 51 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu 120.6 km
6.1 98 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 21.0 km
6.4 48 km W of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 43.0 km
6.1 33 km W of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 47.0 km
7.3 24 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 54.4 km
6.1 99 km NE of Norsup, Vanuatu 4.0 km
6.3 49 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 149.0 km
6.3 83 km NW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 22.0 km
6.1 101 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu 19.2 km
6.3 39 km SW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 31.0 km
7.1 118 km S of Isangel, Vanuatu 48.0 km
6.7 97 km E of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 13.0 km
6.0 53 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 68.0 km
6.1 62 km E of Luganville, Vanuatu 125.0 km
6.5 35 km W of Sola, Vanuatu 188.0 km
6.4 96 km ENE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 13.0 km
6.5 83 km WSW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 17.0 km
7.0 23 km WNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 29.0 km
6.1 289 km SE of Isangel, Vanuatu 4.0 km
7.0 209 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu 137.0 km
6.0 82 km ESE of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 10.0 km
6.3 63 km WSW of Norsup, Vanuatu 17.0 km
6.0 56 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 31.0 km
6.0 110 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu 104.0 km
6.2 59 km WNW of Sola, Vanuatu 93.0 km
6.9 17 km N of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 93.0 km
6.1 66 km SSW of Sola, Vanuatu 173.3 km
6.2 136 km S of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 14.0 km
6.2 82 km W of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 13.0 km
6.1 50 km E of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 160.0 km
6.1 146 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu 113.0 km
6.2 72 km NNE of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 10.0 km
6.2 104 km NW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 10.0 km
6.4 69 km E of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 181.9 km
6.2 51 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 9.7 km
6.1 99 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu 176.0 km
6.0 56 km SSE of Sola, Vanuatu 7.5 km
6.0 60 km NNE of Isangel, Vanuatu 266.0 km
6.0 23 km ENE of Sola, Vanuatu 19.0 km
6.4 61 km NNE of Isangel, Vanuatu 231.0 km
6.0 61 km SW of Sola, Vanuatu 115.0 km
6.6 63 km E of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 181.0 km
6.0 40 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu 91.0 km
6.3 53 km E of Luganville, Vanuatu 119.0 km
6.0 67 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 38.7 km
6.6 94 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu 35.0 km
6.0 95 km WNW of Sola, Vanuatu 42.0 km
6.5 78 km E of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 9.0 km
6.4 72 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 167.0 km
6.1 27 km WSW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 28.0 km
6.4 85 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 197.0 km
6.8 59 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 169.0 km
6.1 71 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 167.0 km
6.0 7 km NE of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 27.0 km
6.0 91 km SW of Isangel, Vanuatu 15.0 km
6.3 84 km SSW of Isangel, Vanuatu 13.0 km
6.2 98 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 111.0 km
7.0 3 km NW of Norsup, Vanuatu 24.0 km
6.4 89 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 16.0 km
6.7 104 km W of Sola, Vanuatu 27.6 km
6.7 102 km WSW of Sola, Vanuatu 24.0 km
6.9 82 km NNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 26.0 km
6.0 128 km N of Isangel, Vanuatu 10.0 km
7.1 31 km NE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 135.0 km
6.0 209 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu 7.1 km
6.8 81 km NNE of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 220.0 km
6.2 10 km ENE of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 110.2 km
6.2 85 km WNW of Sola, Vanuatu 36.0 km
6.6 239 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu 106.0 km
6.3 262 km ESE of Sola, Vanuatu 638.0 km
6.5 32 km E of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 122.0 km
6.5 32 km W of Sola, Vanuatu 187.0 km
6.1 58 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu 124.0 km
6.0 51 km NNE of Isangel, Vanuatu 280.2 km
6.7 59 km SSW of Sola, Vanuatu 200.7 km
6.1 99 km SSE of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 32.0 km
6.2 112 km WNW of Sola, Vanuatu 36.0 km
6.0 191 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu 27.0 km
6.3 51 km NE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 160.1 km
6.2 84 km NW of Isangel, Vanuatu 11.0 km
6.7 57 km NE of Isangel, Vanuatu 16.0 km
6.1 117 km WSW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 8.0 km
6.1 81 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 145.0 km
6.1 116 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 8.0 km
7.1 125 km W of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 23.0 km
7.0 133 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu 185.1 km
6.0 193 km NNW of Sola, Vanuatu 41.0 km
6.2 77 km SW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 13.0 km
7.1 64 km S of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 28.0 km
6.5 65 km SSW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 35.0 km
7.2 71 km SSW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 32.0 km
6.2 72 km NW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 17.0 km
6.1 124 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 18.0 km
6.5 110 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 22.0 km
6.4 120 km W of Isangel, Vanuatu 16.0 km
6.0 105 km W of Isangel, Vanuatu 13.0 km
7.3 141 km W of Isangel, Vanuatu 16.0 km
6.3 137 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu 10.0 km
7.3 33 km NW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 25.0 km
6.1 115 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu 6.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 555 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

A Vanuatu-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

Greenland

77 M4+ events · strongest M4.9

M4.9

French Guiana

3 M4+ events · strongest M5.0

M5.0

New Caledonia

1,917 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Pakistan

1,262 M4+ events · strongest M7.7

M7.7

Croatia

65 M4+ events · strongest M6.4

M6.4

Syria

39 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Vanuatu-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Jamaica

39 M4+ events

M7.7

Peru

4,598 M4+ events

M8.0

China

4,952 M4+ events

M7.9

India

4,086 M4+ events

M7.5

Iran

3,554 M4+ events

M7.7

Venezuela

531 M4+ events

M7.5

Understand the data

Mexico

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

New Zealand

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Vanuatu? ▼
The USGS catalog records 7,572 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Vanuatu since 2005, an average of about 361 per year. Separately, 555 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Vanuatu? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Vanuatu measured magnitude 7.9. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.6 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Vanuatu? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Vanuatu ranks 10th of 187 countries worldwide - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1994, with 16.
How deep are earthquakes in Vanuatu? ▼
Across the 555 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 61 km. 75% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from? ▼
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About Vanuatu's figures

7,572 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.9 · average M4.6 · 555 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 12, 2026. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.

What Vanuatu's numbers mean

Vanuatu ranks 10th of 187 countries tracked - among the most seismically active nations on Earth.

  • About 361 M4+ earthquakes strike Vanuatu per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1994 was the busiest year on record with 16 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 75% of Vanuatu's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
  • The strongest catalogued event reached M7.9. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.