In the Coral Sea 220 kilometer from Port-Vila, Vanuatu, a significant MAG-5.5 earthquake occurred in the evening of Monday October 7th, 2024. Roughly 70 thousand people may have felt this earthquake.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the Coral Sea, 21 kilometers (13 mi) off the coast of Vanuatu, 220 kilometer south-southeast of Port-Vila in Shefa. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 139 km.
| Date and Time: | Oct 7, 2024 08:36PM (Efate Time) - Oct 7, 2024 09:36 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 220 km SSE of Port-Vila, Shefa, Vanuatu. Coordinates 19°35'30"S 169°3'0"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.5 Detected by 22 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.066 . |
| Depth: | 139 km (86 mi) An intermediate depth. |
| Max. Intensity: | IV
Light On the Modified Mercalli Scale. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 at depths deeper than 100km are very unlikely to 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 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.
Roughly 70 thousand people exposed to shaking
An estimated 70 thousand have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.
Light shaking and likely no damage may have been experienced by an estimated 6,670 people. At IV, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 60 thousand). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected.
People in 2 countries have been exposed to shaking. In Vanuatu , around 60 thousand people, with impact levels up to IV (light shaking, likely no damage). In New Caledonia , around 10 thousand people.
| People | MMI Level | Shaking | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | I |
Not noticable | None |
| 410 | II |
Very weak | None |
| 58,450 | III |
Weak | Probably none |
| 6,670 | IV |
Light | Likely none |
| 0 | V |
Moderate | Very light |
| 0 | VI |
Strong | Light |
| 0 | 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 . Located 220 kilometer (137 mi) south-southeast of the epicenter of this earthquake, Port-Vila (Shefa, Vanuatu) is the nearest significant population center. The intensity of shaking and damage in Port-Vila is estimated to be around level III on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (weak shaking, probably no damage).
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place | Intensity (MMI) |
|---|---|---|
| 220 km (137 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Port-Vila Shefa, Vanuatu. |
III
Weak |
Earthquake Intensity Map
The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is IV.
Risk of aftershocks?
We have not yet detected any foreshocks or aftershocks (MAG-2.5 or higher) within 100km (62 mi) of this earthquake.
The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.
The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk
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 July 22nd, 2024, when a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit 70 km (43 mi) further north-east. An even stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck on December 5th, 2018.
In total, 109 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.5 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 month.
Tsunami very unlikely
For a serious tsunami to occur, earthquakes usually need to have a magnitude of at least 6.5 and occur at a shallow depth of maximum 100km. Neither are the case with this earthquake. However always 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 5.5. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 139 km (86 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 17/10/24 09:58 (). 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 us6000nx1e
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20241007_0000091
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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