M 7.8 earthquake – 196 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu
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Local time: Oct 8, 2009 · 09:18 (UTC+11)
MajorShallow · 35 km
Reviewed by a seismologist
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- Magnitude
- 7.8moment magnitude (mwc)
- Depth
- 35 kmShallow earthquake
- Epicenter
- -12.517, 166.382617 km from Port-Vila
- Energy released
- 7.6 megatons of TNTabout 504 × Hiroshima
- Felt reports
- —"Did You Feel It?" responses
- Shaking intensity
- 6.3max. instrumental (MMI)
- Aftershocks
- 263M2.5+ within 218 km, up to 60 days
- Significance
- 936USGS score, 0–1,000+
The strongest here since 1980
The last earthquake at least as strong within 300 km struck on Jul 17, 1980.
How strong was it?
Major earthquake. It released 7.6 megatons of TNT, 15,849 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0. Bars use the magnitude scale: every step is about 32 times more energy.
Aftershocks
263 earthquakes of M2.5+ within 218 km in the 60 days after.
- 5.6 177 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands Oct 7, 2009
- 5.5 90 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands Oct 7, 2009
- 4.9 179 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu Oct 7, 2009
- 5.1 147 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands Oct 7, 2009
- 6.8 186 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands Oct 7, 2009
- 4.9 199 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu Oct 7, 2009
- 5.2 214 km WNW of Sola, Vanuatu Oct 7, 2009
- 5.0 202 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands Oct 7, 2009
- 4.5 175 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands Oct 7, 2009
- 4.5 197 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu Oct 7, 2009
The strongest earthquakes within 300 km
Since 1900, around Vanuatu.
- 8.0 2013 Santa Cruz Islands Earthquake Feb 6, 2013
- 7.9 199 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands Jul 17, 1980
- 7.8 146 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands Dec 31, 1966
- 7.8 186 km NNW of Sola, Vanuatu Dec 17, 1957
- 7.7 148 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu Oct 7, 2009
- 7.7 171 km NNW of Sola, Vanuatu Apr 21, 1997
- 7.7 45 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu May 20, 1965
- 7.7 138 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands Jul 18, 1934
In the week before
Earthquakes within 218 km in the 7 days before this one: possible foreshocks.