M5.0 Earthquake Strikes Vanuatu

Vanuatu —

**What happened:** A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Vanuatu at 9:56 AM Central time (7:56 PM local time in Vanuatu) on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. The U.S. Geological Survey places the epicenter 194 kilometers west-northwest of Port-Olry, offshore, at a depth of about 10 kilometers — a shallow quake.

**Impacts:** Shallow offshore earthquakes like this one can be felt on nearby islands, but so far the USGS has not published any felt reports or damage assessments for this event. No tsunami information has been issued for this quake.

**What to do:**

- If you felt shaking, drop, cover, and hold on — get under a sturdy table and protect your head and neck.

- Check around you for hazards like broken glass or unstable objects after the shaking stops.

- Stay alert for aftershocks, which can follow in the hours and days ahead.

*Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), October 21, 2026.*