M4.9 Earthquake 68 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu — September 15, 2024
2024-09-15 08:07:51 UTC (2024-09-15) · approx. 7:07 PM UTC+11 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations.
On September 15, 2024 at 08:07 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 68 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu, at a depth of 47.6 km and coordinates -17.4095°, 167.7690°. This earthquake was detected by 44 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.
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
167.7690°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Port-Vila, Vanuatu?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 68 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu on September 15, 2024 at 08:07 UTC had a depth of 47.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -17.4095°, 167.7690°, which is 68 km WNW of Port-Vila, 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.
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: us7000ndzi). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, September 15, 2024). M4.9 Earthquake 68 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu — September 15, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ndzi/