In the Coral Sea 192 kilometer from Port-Vila, Vanuatu, a significant Magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred in the evening of Saturday February 8th, 2025.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the Coral Sea, 20 kilometers (13 mi) off the coast of Vanuatu, 192 kilometer north-northwest of Port-Vila in Shefa. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 163 km.
| Date and Time: | Feb 8, 2025 08:24PM (Efate Time) - Feb 8, 2025 09:24 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 192 km NNW of Port-Vila, Shefa, Vanuatu. Coordinates 16°4'40"S 167°48'19"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.2 Detected by 58 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.08 . |
| Depth: | 163 km (101 mi) An intermediate depth. |
| 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. |
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 192 kilometer (119 mi) north-northwest of the epicenter.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 192 km (119 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Port-Vila Shefa, Vanuatu. |
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 January 26th, 2025, when a 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit 187 km (116 mi) further south. An even stronger magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck on December 17th, 2024.
In total, 158 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.2 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 23 days.
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 5.2. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 163 km (101 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 08/02/25 22:48 (). 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 us7000pcav
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20250208_0000146
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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