M 5.2 - 43 km ESE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu

Source: USGS · Vanuatu

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded by USGS near 43 km ESE of Port-Olry. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M5.2 is classified "Moderate". Among the 1,717 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M5.2 event ranks stronger than 74% of them (rank #341 by magnitude).

The earthquake report, at a glance

Magnitude
M 5.2
USGS class
Moderate
Location
43 km ESE of Port-Olry
Archive rank
#341 of 1,717
Source
USGS
Published
September 13, 2026
MODERATE

Sits above 74% of the 1,717 earthquakes in the archive by magnitude; 340 ran stronger.

Record status: USGS's reading at the moment of detection — the agency keeps revising magnitude, aftershock counts, and felt reports on its own event page as more data arrives.

What Happened

A M 5.2 mww earthquake struck 43 km ESE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu on 2026-08-13 at 12:39:21 UTC. The event was recorded at latitude -15.2195, longitude 167.4363 with a depth of 135.084 km.

Location Details

The earthquake was centered 43 km east-southeast of Port-Olry, Vanuatu at coordinates -15.2195, 167.4363. The depth of 135 km places it in the deep category (>70 km).

Impact Assessment

No felt reports, tsunami advisory, or alert level data were available for this event. The tsunami flag was recorded as 0.

What You Should Know

Earthquakes of this magnitude are classified as moderate. Residents in the region should follow standard earthquake safety procedures and be aware of the possibility of aftershocks.

Source

Data from USGS: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000th4y

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

All Earthquakes →

Comparable nationwide notices (length or severity timing) 8

Beyond this USGS earthquake report's own category, Areazine surfaces two nationwide peer sets: length-matched and severity/date-matched notices from elsewhere in the archive, distinct from the same-feed Related list above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What people usually ask about a notice like this one.

What was the magnitude of this event?
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred 43 km ESE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu at a depth of 135 km.
What does a magnitude 5.2 ("Moderate") earthquake mean?
The USGS classifies M5.2 as "Moderate" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are felt over a wide area and can cause significant damage near the epicenter, particularly to older or unreinforced buildings.
How does this compare with other earthquakes Areazine has reported?
This is the #341 strongest of the 1,717 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 74% of them and weaker than 340 others.
Was Port-Olry likely to feel this earthquake?
This event was centered 43 km ESE of Port-Olry. Shaking intensity falls off sharply with distance from the epicenter and depends on depth and local geology, so check the USGS "Did You Feel It?" report for this event for real felt-shaking data rather than assuming from magnitude and distance alone.