of , a shallow and significant Magnitude 5.2 aftershock hit in the South Pacific Ocean.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the South Pacific Ocean. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | ( Time) - Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | In the South Pacific Ocean Coordinates 19°50'12"S 170°8'20"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.2 Detected by 25 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.062 . |
| Depth: | 10 km (6 mi) A very shallow depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
The closest significant population center near the earthquake is in , . is located () of the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and damage in is estimated to be around level 0 on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (no shaking, no damage).
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|
This is likely an aftershock
This earthquake was an aftershock. A larger mag. 5.6 earthquake struck 11 km (7 mi) north in advance of this 5.2 earthquake around 2 days earlier.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 5.4 |
3 days earlier Sep 3, 2026 08:22 (Efate Time) | 91 km (56 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.8 |
2 days earlier Sep 4, 2026 00:47 (Efate Time) | 93 km (58 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock | M 5.6 |
Sep 6, 2026 04:02 (Efate Time) | - |
| Aftershock | M 4.7 |
4 hrs later Sep 6, 2026 08:06 (Efate Time) | 18 km (11 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock This Earthquake |
M 5.2 |
2 days later Sep 8, 2026 11:52 (Efate Time) | 11 km (7 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 5.2 |
4 days later Sep 10, 2026 04:01 (Efate Time) | 18 km (11 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 5.1 |
4 days later Sep 10, 2026 04:18 (Efate Time) | 6 km (4 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 4.9 |
4 days later Sep 10, 2026 06:15 (Efate Time) | 7 km (4 mi) W from Main Shock. |
More earthquakes coming?
Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.
In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major 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. In total, 177 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 21 days.
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 5.2. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 10 km (6 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 28/09/26 01:58 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000tfqf
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260908_0000007
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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