Two large earthquakes struck the ocean west of Vanuatu on Saturday, October 24, 2026, triggering a brief tsunami warning that was later rescinded. No damage or casualties were reported in the hours after the quakes, according to the Associated Press, ABC News Australia and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
What happened
The first and larger earthquake struck at about 12:31pm AEST on Saturday (roughly 1:30pm local time in Vanuatu), according to ABC News Australia and an Associated Press wire report. The U.S. Geological Survey placed the epicenter roughly 200 kilometers (about 124 miles) west or west-northwest of Vanuatu, with ABC News Australia and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center referencing the town of Sola and the AP wire report and the Manila Times referencing Port Olry, both on islands in northern Vanuatu. The USGS recorded the depth at 10 kilometers (about 6 miles), a shallow quake.
About five minutes later, a second earthquake of magnitude 6.3 struck nearby, according to ABC News Australia and the AP wire report, which described it as part of a sequence that included multiple recorded aftershocks.
Magnitude revised from 7.2 to 6.9
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) initially reported the first quake at magnitude 7.2, the figure cited in early wire reports. The USGS subsequently revised the magnitude down to a preliminary 6.9, according to ABC News Australia, the AP wire report carried by ABC News, and the Manila Times. Earthquake magnitudes are commonly adjusted as seismic agencies process more data in the hours after an event.
Tsunami warning issued, then lifted
The PTWC, based in Hawaii, warned shortly after the first quake that "hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 KM of the earthquake epicenter," a statement cited by the Manila Times and ABC News Australia. The warning named Vanuatu as the area potentially affected and urged residents in threatened coastal areas to follow instructions from national and local authorities, per ABC News Australia.
The warning was later rescinded, according to the AP wire report. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that the PTWC separately stated there was no tsunami threat to Hawaii, even though "a tsunami threat exists for parts of the Pacific located closer to the earthquake." ABC News Australia reported that no threat was issued for Australia.
Damage and casualties
ABC News Australia, the AP wire report and the Manila Times all said there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties following the earthquakes. Vanuatu's remote outer islands can take longer for damage assessments to reach international media.
Why Vanuatu sees frequent large earthquakes
Vanuatu sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a seismically active zone stretching across Southeast Asia and the Pacific basin where large earthquakes are common, according to the Manila Times.
The two main earthquakes of October 24, 2026| Quake | Magnitude (initial/PTWC) | Magnitude (revised/USGS) | Depth | Approx. time |
|---|
| First quake | 7.2 | 6.9 (preliminary) | 10 km (6 mi) | 12:31pm AEST / ~1:30pm local Vanuatu time |
|---|
| Second quake | 6.3 | 6.3 | 10 km (6 mi) | About 5 minutes after the first quake |
|---|
Questions
- Was there a tsunami after the Vanuatu earthquake?
- No destructive tsunami was confirmed. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning for hazardous waves within 300 km of the epicenter and then rescinded it, with no threat declared for Hawaii or Australia.
- Why did the earthquake's magnitude change from 7.2 to 6.9?
- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's initial reading of 7.2 was later revised to a preliminary 6.9 by the USGS, a common adjustment as agencies analyze more seismic data.
- Where exactly did the earthquake strike?
- The USGS placed the epicenter about 200 km (124 miles) west of Vanuatu, with reports referencing the towns of Sola and Port Olry in the country's northern islands, at a shallow depth of about 10 km.
- Were there any casualties or damage?
- As of the available reporting, ABC News Australia, the Associated Press and the Manila Times said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
- Why does Vanuatu experience large earthquakes so often?
- Vanuatu lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a highly active seismic zone where large earthquakes regularly occur, according to the Manila Times.
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