M6.3 Earthquake: 102 km NE of Norsup, Vanuatu

Updated 09:05 UTC · 29 Oct 2026

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck 102 km NE of Norsup, Vanuatu at 09:00 UTC on 8 Oct 2026, at a depth of 10 km, reported by USGS. USGS PAGER issued a green alert: little or no damage and a low chance of deaths. USGS did not set a tsunami flag for this quake. So far 5 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been recorded within 50 km, the largest a M5.4.

M6.3

Magnitude (USGS)

mww

10 km

Depth

shallow

GREEN

USGS PAGER impact alert

estimated impact

Aftershocks M2.5+ so far

within 50 km

[ fig. 1 ] M6.3 EPICENTRE, AFTERSHOCKS AND PAST QUAKESThis quakeAftershock M5+AftershockPast M6+

USGS · updated 09:05 UTC 2026-10-29Tap a point for details · pinch or ctrl + scroll to zoomTrack this live in the app ›

Nearest places

Norsup, Malampa, Vanuatu103 km from the epicentre · quake was NE of here · population 2,998103 KM
Lakatoro, Malampa, Vanuatu103 km from the epicentre · quake was NE of here · population 705103 KM
Luganville, Sanma, Vanuatu110 km from the epicentre · quake was E of here · population 13,397110 KM
Port-Vila, Shefa, Vanuatu243 km from the epicentre · quake was N of here · population 35,901243 KM
Wé, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia603 km from the epicentre · quake was N of here · population 10,375603 KM

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Strongest aftershocks so far

Key context

Tectonic setting

New Hebrides (Vanuatu) Trench. The Australian Plate subducts east beneath the Pacific Plate along the New Hebrides Trench, one of the most active subduction zones in the world. Swarms of M5-6 quakes are common, and the 17 December 2024 M7.3 quake near Port Vila damaged the capital.

The USGS moment tensor shows thrust (reverse) faulting: one block of crust was pushed up and over the other, the typical motion where plates converge.

At 10 km it was a very shallow quake: shallow quakes shake the ground above them hardest, so local damage depends on how close towns are.

Shaking and impact

USGS PAGER estimates the impact from the shaking and the number of people exposed. For this quake it issued a green alert: little or no damage and a low chance of deaths (fatality alert: green, economic loss alert: green). PAGER is an early estimate and can change as reports come in.

The USGS ShakeMap estimates the strongest shaking at intensity VIII on the Modified Mercalli scale (severe).

5 people sent a "Did You Feel It?" report to USGS, with the strongest reported intensity VII (very strong).

Estimated shaking in nearby towns, from USGS PAGER.
Town	Population	Estimated intensity
Norsup	2,998	IV (light)
Litzlitz	1,391	IV (light)
Lakatoro	705	IV (light)
Fanla	250	IV (light)
Port-Vato	250	IV (light)
Emiotouan	70	IV (light)

Aftershocks

This page counts quakes of M2.5 or more within 50 km after the main shock, from the USGS catalog (last checked 09:05 UTC, 29 Oct 2026): 5 aftershocks so far.

Aftershocks are normal after a quake of this size. They usually become less frequent over days and weeks, but a strong aftershock can still happen, and in a few sequences a later quake is larger. No one can predict their exact time or size; follow the official agency for your area.

Earthquake history within 250 km

Since 1976, USGS lists 1,377 quakes of M5 or more within 250 km of this epicentre, about 28 a year. Since 1900 the same circle had 151 quakes of M6.3 or larger.

Largest earlier quakes within 250 km, USGS catalog since 1900 (M6+).
Magnitude	Place (USGS)	Date	Depth
M7.7	45 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu	1965-05-20	50 km
M7.6	31 km S of Luganville, Vanuatu	1965-08-11	48 km
M7.5	92 km ESE of Lakatoro, Vanuatu	1999-11-26	33 km
M7.5	81 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu	1973-12-28	26 km
M7.4	47 km WSW of Norsup, Vanuatu	1910-11-09	20 km
M7.4	43 km W of Norsup, Vanuatu	1965-08-13	30 km
M7.3	207 km E of Sola, Vanuatu	1905-02-19	15 km
M7.3	51 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu	2026-03-30	121 km

Official information

Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department
EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)
USGS event page for this quake (ShakeMap, PAGER, felt reports)
tsunami.gov for US tsunami bulletins

Data status

USGS review status: reviewed. Magnitude type: mww. USGS last updated this event on 9 Oct 2026 at 09:08 UTC. Magnitude, depth and location can still be revised; this page keeps the same address if they change.

Questions and answers

How strong was the earthquake near Norsup, Vanuatu?

USGS measured it at magnitude 6.3 (mww), 10 km deep. The strongest estimated shaking was intensity VIII (severe). Quakes of M6 to 6.9 are classed as strong.

Was there a tsunami?

USGS did not set a tsunami flag for this quake. If you are on a coast and feel strong or long shaking, move to high ground anyway, and follow local officials.

Was the earthquake felt?

Yes. 5 people reported it to USGS "Did You Feel It?", with reports up to intensity VII.

Will there be more aftershocks?

Aftershocks are likely to continue for days to weeks, becoming less frequent over time. So far 5 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been listed. Most sequences do not produce a larger quake, but some do. No one can predict the time or size of the next one; follow Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department.

What should I do after a strong earthquake?

Expect aftershocks: Drop, Cover and Hold On when shaking starts again. Check for injuries and damage, stay out of damaged buildings, and use text messages instead of calls so emergency lines stay free. On a coast, move to high ground after strong shaking. Follow your local officials.

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Sources

USGS event page: magnitude, location, ShakeMap, PAGER and Did You Feel It? data for this event. Public domain. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS ComCat (FDSN event web service): the USGS earthquake catalog, used for the 30-year counts, history and aftershocks. Public domain. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Geoserve: nearest places to the epicentre.
GeoNames: large-city coordinates, CC BY 4.0.

Page built 09:05 UTC, 2026-10-29. Full list: data sources and method.