Significant M5.4 FORESHOCK struck on Monday Evening in the Coral Sea 289km from Port-Vila (Vanuatu).

Written by Earthquakelist.org on March 30th, 2026. Last updated March 31st, 2026.

In the Coral Sea 289 kilometer from Port-Vila, Vanuatu, a significant MAG-5.4 foreshock occurred in the evening of Monday March 30th, 2026. Roughly 180 thousand people may have felt this earthquake.

Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the Coral Sea, 30 kilometers (18 mi) off the coast of Vanuatu, 289 kilometer north of Port-Vila in Shefa. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 115 km.

Date and Time:	Mar 30, 2026 07:44PM (Efate Time) - Mar 30, 2026 08:44 Universal Time.
Location:	289 km north of Port-Vila, Shefa, Vanuatu. Coordinates 15°16'11"S 167°28'2"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.4 Detected by 505 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.026 .
Depth:	115 km (72 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 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Roughly 180 thousand people exposed to shaking

An estimated 180 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.

An estimated 31,660 people were exposed to level IV. At this level, light shaking and likely no damage can be expected. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 150 thousand). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Vanuatu .

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
3,660	II	Very weak	None
146,700	III	Weak	Probably none
31,660	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 . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Port-Vila in Shefa, Vanuatu. Port-Vila is located 289 kilometer (180 mi) north of the epicenter.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place
289 km (180 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 IV.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

This is likely a foreshock

This earthquake was followed by a stronger MAG-7.3 earthquake, classifying this earthquake as a foreshock.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Foreshock This Earthquake	M 5.4	6 sec earlier Mar 30, 2026 07:44PM (Efate Time)	11 km (7 mi) NW from Main Shock.
Main Shock	M 7.3	Mar 30, 2026 07:44PM (Efate Time)	-
Aftershock	M 5.0	18 mins later Mar 30, 2026 08:02PM (Efate Time)	7 km (4 mi) SW from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 4.8	11 hrs later Mar 31, 2026 06:50AM (Efate Time)	78 km (49 mi) NW 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 March 21st, 2026, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit 101 km (63 mi) further southwest. An even stronger magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck on December 17th, 2024.

In total, 140 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.4 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 26 days.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

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 5.4. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 115 km (72 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 31/03/26 20:58 (). 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.