M5.5 Earthquake 63 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu — February 20, 2021
2021-02-20 02:44:05 UTC (2021-02-20) · approx. 1:44 PM UTC+11 local
On February 20, 2021 at 02:44 UTC, a magnitude 5.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 63 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu, at a depth of 4.2 km and coordinates -17.4718°, 167.7845°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Lakatoro (population 705).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.8 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Vanuatu, a region characterized by the New Hebrides subduction zone, where the Australian Plate subducts eastward at approximately 90 mm per year. View all earthquakes in Vanuatu.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 98,040 |
| MMI 4 | light | 61,713 |
Earthquake Details
167.7845°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.5 earthquake near Port-Vila, Vanuatu?
The magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck 63 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu on February 20, 2021 at 02:44 UTC had a depth of 4.2 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -17.4718°, 167.7845°, which is 63 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu. The nearest populated place is Lakatoro (population 705). View all earthquakes in Vanuatu.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.5 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Vanuatu had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Vanuatu was the M7.9 Vanuatu earthquake of October 7, 2009. Today's magnitude 5.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000djk6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, February 20, 2021). M5.5 Earthquake 63 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu — February 20, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000djk6/