Port Vila, Vanuatu: Multiple earthquakes, including a powerful tremor of preliminary magnitude 7.2, were reported near the Vanuatu Islands on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded three seismic events in the region, measuring 7.2, 6.9 and 6.3 in magnitude.
According to the USGS, the preliminary magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck around 200 kilometres west of Sola in Vanuatu. The agency also reported a magnitude 6.9 earthquake approximately 197 kilometres west-northwest of Port-Olry and a magnitude 6.3 tremor around 170 kilometres northwest of the same location.
India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS) also recorded an earthquake of magnitude 6.9 in the Vanuatu Islands on Saturday morning.
In a post on X, the NCS said the earthquake occurred at 8:01 am Indian Standard Time (IST), at a depth of 20 kilometres. The agency reported the epicentre at latitude 14.098 degrees south and longitude 165.493 degrees east.
The magnitudes and locations reported by the USGS and NCS were preliminary and differed across their respective reports. Further assessments may be needed to establish the precise details of the seismic activity.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in the information provided by the agencies.
Earthquake in Coral Sea Earlier This Week
The latest seismic activity comes days after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Coral Sea on October 20, according to the NCS. The agency reported that the earlier tremor occurred at 9:50 am IST at a depth of 23 kilometres.
Earthquakes occur when stress built up along faults in the Earth’s crust is suddenly released. This release generates seismic waves that travel through the ground. The impact of an earthquake depends on factors such as its magnitude, depth, distance from populated areas and the strength of local buildings.
Vanuatu Region Prone to Earthquakes
The Vanuatu Islands lie in the southwestern Pacific, a region known for frequent seismic activity due to the movement and interaction of tectonic plates along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Earthquakes in this region can vary in intensity and depth. Seismological agencies monitor such events to determine their magnitude, location and depth and assess possible risks to nearby communities.
The situation following Saturday’s reported earthquakes may become clearer as monitoring agencies release further information.