Earthquake.now

M7.3 Earthquake near Luganville, Vanuatu — 30 March 2026

A major earthquake of magnitude 7.3 was recorded near Luganville, Vanuatu on , with an epicentre 35 km northeast of Luganville, at a focal depth of 115.8 km.

7.3 Major

Time (UTC): 2026-03-30 08:44:08

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 7.3 (major)

Focal depth: 115.8 km (intermediate)

Epicentre: -15.2984, 167.3990

Location: 35 km NE of Luganville, Vanuatu

USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked

Review status: Reviewed

Source: USGS event page

How strong was this earthquake?

Major earthquakes cause serious damage across wide regions and are capable of destroying buildings that were not designed for seismic loading. Events at this size frequently trigger long aftershock sequences lasting months.

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake radiates roughly 1.3 million tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 834, which meets 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 →

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at -15.2984, 167.3990 — 35 km northeast of Luganville. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 5.4 earthquake 8 km east-northeast of here on 30 March 2026.

Why the 116 km depth matters

At 116 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 produce strong, widely felt shaking. 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 its 116 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

5 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 7.2.

82 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.2 event near Luganville on 30 March 2026. This M7.3 event released about 1.4 times more energy than that event.

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

Where this event sits in the record

This earthquake is part of the March 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other magnitude 7 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 7 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong is a magnitude 7.3 earthquake?

Major earthquakes cause serious damage across wide regions and are capable of destroying buildings that were not designed for seismic loading. Events at this size frequently trigger long aftershock sequences lasting months. A magnitude 7.3 earthquake radiates roughly 1.3 million tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Luganville?

At 116 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.

Was the M7.3 earthquake near Luganville felt?

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 produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.

What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?

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 its 116 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.

Have there been aftershocks?

5 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 7.2.

How often do earthquakes happen near Luganville?

82 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.2 event near Luganville on 30 March 2026. This M7.3 event released about 1.4 times more energy than that event.