Earthquake.now

M5.9 Earthquake near Sola, Vanuatu — 28 May 2025

A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.9 was recorded near Sola, Vanuatu on , with an epicentre 52 km southwest of Sola, at a focal depth of 202.4 km. It ranked as the 3rd strongest of 16 earthquakes recorded in Vanuatu in the preceding 30 days.

5.9 Moderate

Time (UTC): 2025-05-28 08:57:48

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 5.9 (moderate)

Focal depth: 202.4 km (intermediate)

Epicentre: -14.2672, 167.2760

Location: 52 km SW of Sola, Vanuatu

Country: Vanuatu

USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked

Review status: Reviewed

Source: USGS event page

How strong was this earthquake?

Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area.

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake radiates roughly 10,676 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 536, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.

What the magnitude scale actually measures →

When it happened locally

That is about 20:06 local solar time at the epicentre, in the evening.

This event was deeper than 82% of the 282 earthquakes recorded in Vanuatu in our catalogue and stronger than 95% of them.

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at -14.2672, 167.2760 — 52 km southwest of Sola. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.4 earthquake 24 km southwest of here on 05 September 2026.

The nearest other settlements in our records are Port-Olry (105 km south), Luganville (176 km south), Norsup (197 km south) and Central Malekula (206 km south).

Why the 202 km depth matters

At 202 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.

This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.

Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →

What does the tsunami information flag mean?

The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M5.9 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 202 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.

How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →

Aftershocks and local seismic history

3 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.9.

108 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.3 event near Luganville on 30 March 2026. This M5.9 event released about 126 times less energy than that event.

12 earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km of this epicentre in the past year, 3 of them in the past 30 days.

How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →

Where this event sits in the record

This earthquake is part of the May 2025 worldwide record, and of earthquakes in Vanuatu during May 2025. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other recent earthquakes in Vanuatu

All recorded earthquakes in Vanuatu →

Other magnitude 5 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 5 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong was the earthquake near Sola?

It measured magnitude 5.9 — a moderate earthquake. A magnitude 5.9 earthquake radiates roughly 10,676 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Sola?

The focus was 202 km below the surface, which counts as intermediate.

Was the Sola earthquake felt at the surface?

At magnitude 5.9 and a focal depth of 202 km, the depth spreads the energy out, so shaking is weaker overhead but reaches further.

When did the earthquake near Sola happen?

28 May 2025 at 08:57 UTC.

Was there a tsunami?

No. The USGS record carries no tsunami-information link for this event.

Have there been aftershocks?

3 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.9.

How often do earthquakes happen near Sola?

108 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.3 event near Luganville on 30 March 2026. This M5.9 event released about 126 times less energy than that event.