Shallow M6.0 earthquake hits Vanuatu
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit Vanuatu at 14:25 UTC on December 22, 2018. The agency is reporting a depth of 42 km (26 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 50 km (31 miles).
The epicenter was located 106 km (65.9 miles) WNW of Sola (population 1 171), 242 km (150 miles) NNW of Luganville (population 13 397) and 512 km (318 miles) NNW of Port-Villa (population 35 901), Vanuatu.
There are about 2 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles).
This earthquake can have a low humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.
Some 8 000 people are estimated to have felt light shaking and 298 000 light.
The USGS issued a green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are unknown/miscellaneous types and wood construction.
Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking
Selected cities exposed
Regional seismicity
Featured image credit: USGS, EMSC, TW
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.