Shallow M5.6 earthquake hits offshore Vanuatu

A M5.6 earthquake was recorded at 02:59 UTC on October 28, 2026, approximately 174 km (108 miles) northwest of Port-Olry, Vanuatu. The event occurred at a shallow depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles), as reported by USGS.

The earthquake’s epicenter, positioned at 165.8°E and 14.1°S, places it offshore of the northern islands of Vanuatu, a region regularly affected by seismic activity due to its tectonic setting. No populated locality is directly at the epicenter’s coordinates, but Port-Olry and other communities on Espiritu Santo are the closest inhabited areas.

Given the offshore nature of the epicenter, infrastructure such as maritime shipping routes and coastal villages could be influenced by the event, while major airports and extensive land transport networks are concentrated on the larger islands.

There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.

The significance index for this event is 482 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), which is a composite figure based on magnitude and estimated impact.

Vanuatu is located along the boundary of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically active regions in the world. Earthquakes of this magnitude are relatively common in the island nation, sometimes generating strong ground motions and associated hazards.

This information was last updated at 03:16 UTC on October 28, 2026.