M6.3 earthquake — 197 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
A strong magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred 197 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu on Oct 20, 2026 at 04:20 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 16 km — a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes concentrate their energy near the surface, so they tend to produce stronger shaking close to the epicenter.
Event data
| Magnitude | M6.3 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 16.0 km |
| Coordinates | -13.991, 165.589 |
| Time | Oct 20, 04:20 UTC |
| Location | 197 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu |
| USGS event ID | us6000u3jl |
What this magnitude typically means
A magnitude in this range can cause significant damage near the epicenter, especially to vulnerable buildings. How strongly any given place shakes still depends on distance, depth, and ground conditions. Tremor does not compute a single local shaking figure here, because how strong a quake feels at any address depends on distance, depth and local geology — open the interactive globe to explore the ShakeMap and estimated intensity.
Nearby recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Distance | Time (UTC) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.9 | 5 km | Oct 19, 08:54 UTC | 202 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu |
| M5.4 | 6 km | Oct 19, 10:40 UTC | 196 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu |
| M5.7 | 7 km | Oct 19, 18:52 UTC | 198 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu |
| M5.0 | 8 km | Oct 20, 00:38 UTC | 205 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu |
| M5.7 | 11 km | Oct 19, 18:55 UTC | 203 km WNW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu |
| M6.0 | 12 km | Oct 19, 07:49 UTC | 186 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu |
Earthquake activity in this area
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.