M5.9 Earthquake: 196 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu

Updated 09:05 UTC · 29 Oct 2026

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck 196 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu at 08:56 UTC on 24 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 31 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been recorded within 50 km, the largest a M6.0. A larger M6.0 quake followed on 28 Oct 2026, so this one was a foreshock.

M5.9

Magnitude (USGS)

mww

10 km

Depth

shallow

GREEN

USGS PAGER impact alert

estimated impact

Aftershocks M2.5+ so far

within 50 km

[ fig. 1 ] M5.9 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

Port-Olry, Sanma, Vanuatu196 km from the epicentre · quake was NW of here · population 1,951196 KM
Sola, Torba, Vanuatu206 km from the epicentre · quake was W of here · population 1,171206 KM
Luganville, Sanma, Vanuatu239 km from the epicentre · quake was NW of here · population 13,397239 KM
Port-Vila, Shefa, Vanuatu508 km from the epicentre · quake was NW of here · population 35,901508 KM
Wé, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia791 km from the epicentre · quake was NNW of here · population 10,375791 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 normal faulting: the crust was pulled apart and one block dropped down, typical of stretching crust or of bending in a sinking slab.

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 IV on the Modified Mercalli scale (light).

USGS had no "Did You Feel It?" reports for this quake when this page was updated; remote and offshore quakes often get none.

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): 31 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 1,299 quakes of M5 or more within 250 km of this epicentre, about 26 a year. Since 1900 the same circle had 300 quakes of M5.9 or larger.

Largest earlier quakes within 250 km, USGS catalog since 1900 (M6+).
Magnitude	Place (USGS)	Date	Depth
M7.9	199 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands	1980-07-17	33 km
M7.8	146 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands	1966-12-31	59 km
M7.8	186 km NNW of Sola, Vanuatu	1957-12-17	124 km
M7.8	196 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu	2009-10-07	35 km
M7.7	138 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands	1934-07-18	10 km
M7.7	148 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu	2009-10-07	45 km
M7.7	171 km NNW of Sola, Vanuatu	1997-04-21	33 km
M7.7	45 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu	1965-05-20	50 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 25 Oct 2026 at 09:03 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 Port-Olry, Vanuatu?

USGS measured it at magnitude 5.9 (mww), 10 km deep. The strongest estimated shaking was intensity IV (light). Quakes of M5 to 5.9 are classed as moderate.

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?

USGS had no felt reports when this page was updated. That is common for offshore and remote quakes. If you felt it, you can report it on the USGS event page.

Will there be more aftershocks?

Aftershocks are likely to continue for days to weeks, becoming less frequent over time. So far 31 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.

Related live pages

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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.