5.0

M5.0 Earthquake 82 km NNW of Isangel, VanuatuJune 18, 2024

2024-06-18 21:42:34 UTC (2024-06-18) · approx. 8:42 AM UTC+11 local

Felt by 2 people across nearby locations.

MagnitudeM5.0(mb)
Time21:42 UTC8:42 AM UTC+11
Depth103.7 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates-18.908°, 168.863°
Felt by2DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On June 18, 2024 at 21:42 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck 82 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu, at a depth of 103.7 km and coordinates -18.9080°, 168.8633°. This earthquake was detected by 121 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -18.91°, 168.86°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 2 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M5.0 earthquake near 82 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mb
Depth
103.7 km
intermediate depth
Location
-18.9080°N
168.8633°E
Felt Reports
2
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
2.7
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000mtap
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Stations Used
121
Azimuthal Gap
110.0°
Min Station Distance
3.768°
RMS Residual
0.71 sec
Last Updated
2024-08-30 18:17:08 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Isangel, Vanuatu?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 82 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu on June 18, 2024 at 21:42 UTC had a depth of 103.7 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -18.9080°, 168.8633°, which is 82 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu. View all earthquakes in Vanuatu.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 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 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000mtap). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, June 18, 2024). M5.0 Earthquake 82 km NNW of Isangel, VanuatuJune 18, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000mtap/