The USGS first reported a magnitude 7.2 quake off Vanuatu, then described two shallow events of magnitudes 6.9 and 6.3.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of dangerous waves within 300 km of the epicentre, and the threat was withdrawn hours later.
Vanuatu's authorities had not confirmed victims or damage in the early reports, which cover an archipelago of about 320,000 people.
A strong earthquake struck the sea near the Vanuatu archipelago in the South Pacific on Saturday, 24 October 2026, and triggered a tsunami alert for nearby coasts. The United States Geological Survey first reported a magnitude 7.2 quake, then revised its findings to a double earthquake with magnitudes of 6.9 and 6.3 at shallow depth. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, based in Honolulu, had warned that dangerous tsunami waves were possible for coasts within 300 km of the epicentre, based on preliminary parameters. One report put the depth at 10 km and the epicentre about 200 km from the archipelago. The newer figures replaced the single 7.2 estimate in the coverage.
The tsunami warning was lifted within hours of being issued, Europa Press reported. The Pacific center said national authorities would decide the appropriate alert level for each country, and that an additional or more detailed alert could still follow. Authorities said there was no tsunami threat to the rest of the Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii, according to one report. The alert therefore stayed local to the Vanuatu region.
As of the latest early reports, Vanuatu's authorities had not confirmed any victims or damage. Local authorities were monitoring sea levels to assess any rise and whether isolated coastal communities were affected. No harm to people or structures had been reported at the time of the most recent coverage. The archipelago has about 320,000 inhabitants, many living close to sea level.
Vanuatu lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of intense tectonic and volcanic activity, and earthquakes there are frequent. On 17 December 2024, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake destroyed roads and buildings in Port Vila, the capital, and killed at least 14 people.
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A pair of shallow earthquakes, magnitudes 6.9 and 6.3, struck the sea near Vanuatu on Saturday, 24 October 2026. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had first warned of waves within 300 km, and the threat was later withdrawn.
AI text based on reports by europa press, 7sur7, Notícias ao Minuto and other publishers. Published .