Earthquakes in Vanuatu — January 2026

12 earthquakes were recorded in Vanuatu during January 2026, an average of 0.4 per day.

12 reached magnitude 4 or above and 4 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 148 km.

The month's largest event in Vanuatu was a magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Sola, Vanuatu on 09 January 2026 at 23:19 UTC. A magnitude 5.6 earthquake radiates roughly 3,788 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is close to the Vanuatu monthly average of 12 events over the period we cover, and up from the 10 recorded the previous month.

42% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 50% intermediate (70–300 km) and 8% deep-focus (over 300 km). That proportion of deep-focus events is the signature of a subduction zone: only a cold slab descending into the mantle stays brittle enough to rupture at those depths.

By band, the catalogue holds 8 in the magnitude 4 range, 4 in the magnitude 5 range.

Activity peaked on 13 January, when 2 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M5.6 near Sola, Vanuatu on 09 January at 35 km; M5.2 near Isangel, Vanuatu on 01 January at 143 km; M5.1 near Sola, Vanuatu on 10 January at 35 km.

That is close to the 12 events Vanuatu averages per month across the 21 months on record.