M 7.3 in Vanuatu on 17 Dec 2024 01:47 UTC

Event summary

This earthquake can have a high humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

GDACS ID EQ 1458084
Earthquake Magnitude: 7.3M
Glide number: EQ-2024-000227-VUT
Depth: 57.1 Km
Lat/Lon: -17.6859 , 168.0338
Event Date: 17 Dec 2024 01:47 UTC
17 Dec 2024 12:47 Local
Exposed Population: 70 thousand (in MMI>=VII)
Inserted at: 17 Dec 2024 02:25 UTC
INFORM Coping capacity:
6.1 (Vanuatu)
Maximum Wave Height observed: 0.25 m

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
  Earthquake
(Shakemap)		 Tsunami GDACS score
NEIC 2.1 0.3 2.1
us7000nzf3 Scaled population (raster) 4.77 Max wave alert 0.34m  
  C1 shakemap -0.59 Max wave realtime 0.34m  
  C2 shakemap 0.53      
  Country Vulnerability 0      
  INFORM_normalised 1.12      
Maximum expected impact using different data sources.
Virtual OSOCC
Meteo assessment
Satellite products
Analytical products
M7.3 in Vanuatu - UNITAR-UNOSAT ActivationTue, 17 Dec 2024 09:27

UNITAR-UNOSAT Potentially Damaged Buildings has been activated
Vanuatu - Earthquakes and tsunami (ECHO 22 Dec 2024)Tue, 17 Dec 2024 11:42

  • An earthquake of 7.3 M at a depth of 57 km occurred in the sea area east of the island of Efate, central Vanuatu on 17 December at 01.47 UTC (12.47 local time). The epicentre was approximately 30 km east of Port-Vila city, the capital of Vanuatu, in Shefa province on Efate island.
  • The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami threat, a maximum tsunami height of 0.25 m was observed south-west of Port Vila city. The tsunami threat was later cancelled.
    USGS PAGER estimates that up to 65,000 people were exposed to severe shaking and 27,000 to very strong shaking. The earthquake is expected to have high humanitarian impact based on the magnitude, the affected population and their vulnerability.
  • According to media reports, one person died and several buildings have been damaged, including buildings hosting foreign missions and embassies, several landslides have been triggered by the earthquake blocking some roads.
  • National authorities are conducting the damage assessment. 
M7.3 in Vanuatu - EC/ECHO daily mapTue, 17 Dec 2024 18:35

A new EC/ECHO daily map is now available
Vanuatu - Earthquake (ECHO 22 Dec 2024)Wed, 18 Dec 2024 11:37

  • The humanitarian impact is increasing after the earthquake of 7.3 M occurred on 17 December in the sea, 30 km east of Port-Vila the capital city, in Shefa province, in central Vanuatu.
  • According to UNICEF, as of 18 December, at least 14 people died, mainly from landslides triggered by the earthquake or collapsed buildings, more than 200 people have been injured, and an undefined number of people are still missing. Approximately 80,000 people have been affected and the main hospital has been damaged. Water and telecommunications have not yet been restored, and there are power cuts and widespread damage have been recorded to buildings and roads. In addition, several landslides are blocking roads to the Port-Vila airport and to the international seaport, which is closed.
  • National authorities are conducting search and rescue operations.
  • The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) was activated in rapid mapping mode () on 17 December to provide the damage assessment.
M7.3 in Vanuatu - Copernicus EMS activationThu, 19 Dec 2024 11:55

[EMSR782] Earthquake in Vanuatu
M7.3 in Vanuatu - UNITAR-UNOSAT ActivationFri, 20 Dec 2024 07:41

UNITAR-UNOSAT Potentially Damaged Buildings has been activated
M7.3 in Vanuatu - Copernicus EMS activationSat, 21 Dec 2024 12:00

[EMSR782] Earthquake in Vanuatu
M7.3 in Vanuatu - Copernicus EMS activationSun, 22 Dec 2024 11:58

[EMSR782] Earthquake in Vanuatu
Detailed event map. European Union, 2024. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

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Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (91), (5), NEIC (6), OCHA (1), INGV (1), DesInventar (2), WMO (2), USGS (5), INFORM (4), NOAA (1),