Overall Green Earthquake in Vanuatu on 19 May 2026 02:29 UTC

GDACS is a cooperation framework between the United Nations, the European Commission and disaster managers worldwide to improve awareness, information exchange and coordination in the first phase after major sudden-onset disasters.

M 5.7 in Vanuatu on 19 May 2026 02:29 UTC

Hazard models

Rapid Impact

Shakemap

Tsunami

Event summary

This earthquake is expected to have a low humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Earthquake Magnitude:	5.7M
Depth:	27 Km
Lat/Lon:	-18.1511 , 168.0931
Event Date:	19 May 2026 02:29 UTC 19 May 2026 13:29 Local
Exposed Population:	100 thousand in MMI IV
Source:	NEIC us6000synm
Inserted at:	19 May 2026 04:03 UTC
INFORM Coping capacity of the alert score:	1.1 (Vanuatu)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS score click here.

	Earthquake (Shakemap)		GDACS score
NEIC	0		0
us6000synm	Scaled population (raster)	0
	C1 shakemap	0
	C2 shakemap	0
	Country Vulnerability	0
	INFORM_normalised	0
	Score no CC	0

Maximum expected impact using different data sources.

ShakeMap is a product of the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program in conjunction with the regional seismic networks. ShakeMaps provide near-real-time maps of ground motion and shaking intensity following significant earthquakes.

Episode Timeline

ID	Level	Score	Date	Mag, Depth	MMI*	Population**	Tsunami risk***	Delay (hh:mm)	Source
1706533		0	19 May 2026 02:29	5.8M, 37.4km	4.32	N/A (in MMI>=VII)		00:11	NEIC
1706537		0	19 May 2026 02:29	5.7M, 27km	4.03	N/A (in MMI>=VII)		01:34	NEIC

The episode that generated the alert; the next major evaluations beyond 12 hours will not trigger additional alerts.

The episode that has the last updated information.

* The max MMI detected for sources having shakemaps;
** The population detected in MMI>=7 for episode with shakemap or in a 100km radius;
*** The tsunami max height.

Exposed population

The earthquake happened in Vanuatu ,of Vanuatu (population 165,000) . The alertlevel for this event is GREEN

Intensity	Population
	no people

Shakemaps Timeline

Shake id #	episodeid	Lat/Lon	Magnitude	Depth	Max MMI	Date shake (UTC)	Delay (hh:mm)
1	1706533	168.172/-18.16	5.8	37.4	4.318	19 May 2026 02:46	00:17	(new episode)
2	1706533	168.172/-18.16	5.8	37.4	4.318	19 May 2026 02:52	00:23	(upd of #1)
3	1706537	168.093/-18.151	5.7	27	4.091	19 May 2026 04:09	01:40	(new episode)
4	1706537	168.093/-18.151	5.7	27	4.091	19 May 2026 04:21	01:51	(upd of #3)
5	1706537	168.093/-18.151	5.7	27	4.091	19 May 2026 04:47	02:18	(upd of #4)
6	1706537	168.093/-18.151	5.7	27	4.033	20 May 2026 14:00	1d 11:31	(upd of #5)

Affected Provinces

Intensity	Region Province	Country	Population
	Vanuatu	Vanuatu	85000 people
	Vanuatu	Vanuatu	6700 people

Affected populated places. Areas of interest

Name	Country	City class	Population	Distance
Epantgoueï	Vanuatu	Village	-	45 km
Erakor	Vanuatu	Village	-	46 km
Matao Tiupeniu	Vanuatu	Village	-	47 km
Nanguilé	Vanuatu	Village	-	48 km
Eratap	Vanuatu	Village	-	51 km
Port-Vila	Vanuatu	Capital	36000 people	51 km
Montmartre	Vanuatu	Village	-	54 km
Mélé	Vanuatu	Village	-	55 km
Natapao	Vanuatu	Village	-	62 km
Epuen	Vanuatu	Village	-	66 km
Forari	Vanuatu	Village	-	70 km
Sounaï	Vanuatu	Village	-	72 km
Port-Havannah	Vanuatu	Village	-	66 km
Ebao	Vanuatu	Village	-	72 km
Émua	Vanuatu	Village	-	74 km
Onésoua	Vanuatu	Village	-	76 km
Laonomoa	Vanuatu	Village	-	80 km
Nekapa	Vanuatu	Village	-	80 km
Utanlangi	Vanuatu	Village	-	83 km
Marow	Vanuatu	Village	-	85 km
Rampunalvat	Vanuatu	Village	-	118 km
Malakof	Vanuatu	Village	-	118 km
Navolou	Vanuatu	Village	-	118 km
Peskarüs	Vanuatu	Village	-	182 km
Loounémeloupang	Vanuatu	Village	-	182 km
Liro	Vanuatu	Village	-	188 km
Isaka	Vanuatu	Village	-	206 km
Loanengo	Vanuatu	Village	-	208 km

see full list

Critical infrastructure

Airports, ports, nuclear plants and hydrodams at risk, if affected, are listed below.

Airports

Name	IATA Code	Elevation (m)	Usage	Runway type	IFR	Runway Length (ft)	Distance
Port Vila Bauerfield	VLI	20	Civ.	Paved	Yes	8500	55 km
Quine Hill	UIQ	unknown				0	75 km
Lamap	LPM	unknown				0	85 km
Dillons Bay	DLY	unknown				0	118 km
Sangafa		2	Civ.	Unpaved	No	3200	120 km

Ports

Intensity	Name	LOCODE	Country	Distance
	Port Vila	VUVLI	Vanuatu	50 km
	Forari Bay		Vanuatu	71 km

More information

For a full list of available products related to this event, please refer to the GDACS Resources page.

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