M5.2 Earthquake 13 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu — May 29, 2023
2023-05-29 10:04:57 UTC (2023-05-29) · approx. 9:04 PM UTC+11 local
Felt by 3 people across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M6.1 mainshock.
On May 29, 2023 at 10:04 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 13 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates -14.9553°, 166.9806°. This earthquake was detected by 96 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 417, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 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 20 days ago 22 km ENE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 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 3 citizen responses 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
166.9806°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Port-Olry, Vanuatu?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 13 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu on May 29, 2023 at 10:04 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -14.9553°, 166.9806°, which is 13 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu. View all earthquakes in Vanuatu.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M6.1 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.2 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 6.1 mainshock that occurred earlier 22 km ENE 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 5.2 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000k4rv). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, May 29, 2023). M5.2 Earthquake 13 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu — May 29, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000k4rv/