In the evening of Wednesday May 8th, 2024, a shallow and strong M6.1 earthquake hit in the Coral Sea 291 kilometer from Port-Vila, Vanuatu. Around 180 thousand people have been exposed to shaking.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the Coral Sea, right off the coast of Vanuatu (8 mi offshore), 291 kilometer north of Port-Vila in Shefa. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 13 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | May 8, 2024 07:17PM (Efate Time) - May 8, 2024 08:17 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 291 km north of Port-Vila, Shefa, Vanuatu. Coordinates 15°8'22"S 167°59'52"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 6.1 Detected by 48 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.045 . |
| Depth: | 13 km (8 mi) A very shallow depth. |
| Max. Intensity: | VII
Very Strong On the Modified Mercalli Scale. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Minimal impact predicted
Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.
The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 100% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.
Roughly 180 thousand people exposed to shaking
The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 180 thousand have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.
An estimated 540 people were exposed to level VII. At this level, very strong shaking and likely moderate damage can be expected. The majority of people (roughly 130 thousand) live in an area exposed to level IV, where light shaking and likely no damage is expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Vanuatu .
| People | MMI Level | Shaking | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | I |
Not noticable | None |
| 0 | II |
Very weak | None |
| 25,230 | III |
Weak | Probably none |
| 131,000 | IV |
Light | Likely none |
| 12,960 | V |
Moderate | Very light |
| 9,400 | VI |
Strong | Light |
| 540 | VII |
Very Strong | Moderate |
| 0 | VIII |
Severe | Moderate to heavy |
| 0 | IX |
Violent | Heavy |
| 0 | X |
Extreme | Very heavy |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Vanuatu . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Port-Vila in Shefa, Vanuatu. Port-Vila is located 291 kilometer (181 mi) north of the epicenter.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 291 km (181 mi) S from epicenter |
Port-Vila Shefa, Vanuatu. |
Earthquake Intensity Map
The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is VI.
Shaking reported by 2 people in 2 countries
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 2 people have reported shaking in 2 places in 2 countries (Solomon Islands, Fiji Islands).We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.
Places with most reports:
- Gizo, Western, Solomon Islands: 1 person.
- Suva, Central, Fiji Islands: 1 person.
13 Aftershocks detected
After this earthquake struck, 13 smaller aftershocks occurred. A 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit 3 hrs later 19 km (12 mi) south-east of this earthquake.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 6.1 |
May 8, 2024 07:17PM (Efate Time) | - |
| Aftershock | M 4.6 |
46 mins later May 8, 2024 08:03PM (Efate Time) | 15 km (10 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.8 |
2 hrs later May 8, 2024 08:53PM (Efate Time) | 6 km (4 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.8 |
3 hrs later May 8, 2024 10:04PM (Efate Time) | 10 km (6 mi) ENE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 5.4 |
3 hrs later May 8, 2024 10:06PM (Efate Time) | 19 km (12 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 5.2 |
4 hrs later May 8, 2024 10:51PM (Efate Time) | 15 km (9 mi) ENE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.7 |
4 hrs later May 8, 2024 11:45PM (Efate Time) | 5 km (3 mi) ESE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.9 |
5 hrs later May 9, 2024 12:37AM (Efate Time) | 19 km (12 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.4 |
10 hrs later May 9, 2024 05:12AM (Efate Time) | 28 km (17 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.4 |
15 hrs later May 9, 2024 10:40AM (Efate Time) | 2.9 km (1.8 mi) NNE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.2 |
18 hrs later May 9, 2024 01:17PM (Efate Time) | 28 km (17 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 5.1 |
19 hrs later May 9, 2024 02:08PM (Efate Time) | 4 km (2.2 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.9 |
2 days later May 10, 2024 11:50AM (Efate Time) | 19 km (12 mi) NNE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.9 |
2 days later May 10, 2024 12:21PM (Efate Time) | 22 km (14 mi) ENE from Main Shock. |
More earthquakes coming?
Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.
It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this happen often in the region
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since November 22nd, 2023, when a 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit 20 km (12 mi) further north. An even stronger magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck on October 20th, 2015.
In total, 27 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.1 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 5 months.
Low tsunami risk
Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
| Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
| This Earthquake | This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea. | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 6.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 13 km (8 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 19/05/24 08:38 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000mx5c
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20240508_0000078
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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