M4.9 Earthquake 19 km NNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu — March 17, 2026
2026-03-17 23:27:57 UTC (2026-03-17) · approx. 10:27 AM UTC+11 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M6.1 mainshock.
On March 17, 2026 at 23:27 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 intermediate depth earthquake struck 19 km NNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu, at a depth of 85.7 km and coordinates -14.8816°, 166.9954°. This earthquake was detected by 48 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 370, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 6.1 mainshock that occurred 9 days ago 56 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 1 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for weeks to months as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
166.9954°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Port-Olry, Vanuatu?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 19 km NNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu on March 17, 2026 at 23:27 UTC had a depth of 85.7 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -14.8816°, 166.9954°, which is 19 km NNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu. View all earthquakes in Vanuatu.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M6.1 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 6.1 mainshock that occurred earlier 56 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000sh1y). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, March 17, 2026). M4.9 Earthquake 19 km NNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu — March 17, 2026. Retrieved May 26, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000sh1y/