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A powerful earthquake struck near Vanuatu in the South Pacific early on Saturday, October 24, prompting a tsunami warning for nearby coastlines. Seismologists are still reconciling their first readings — and, as of the first reports, there were no confirmed casualties or damage.
What happened, and why the magnitude differs
The quake struck at 2:31 a.m. GMT on Saturday, with its epicentre about 200 kilometres west of Sola, Vanuatu, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, according to the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, which reported a magnitude of 7.1. The US Geological Survey reported the same event at magnitude 7.2, at the same depth and location. Both figures are preliminary: different agencies use different measurement methods, and early magnitudes are routinely revised as more seismic data arrives. Times Now notes a separate preliminary reading of 6.9, reported about 25 seconds apart near Port-Olry — it remains unclear whether that was a second event or simply another early estimate of the same quake.
Depth is what made this event dangerous. At just 10 kilometres below the seabed, a quake of this size displaces a large volume of water, which is why the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii issued a tsunami threat message warning of potentially dangerous waves along coastlines within 300 kilometres of the epicentre. Mathrubhumi reports the first wave was expected to reach Espiritu Santo at about 3:01 a.m. UTC, with the centre cautioning that actual arrival times could differ — and that the first wave might not be the largest.
Why Vanuatu shakes so often
Vanuatu sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Australian plate slides beneath the Pacific plate, producing frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. Shallow quakes here are a standing hazard: strong ground shaking near the epicentre, and tsunami risk when the seabed moves vertically. That combination is why warning centres act on preliminary magnitudes rather than waiting for a final number — minutes matter more than decimal points.
For now, the honest summary is short: a major shallow quake, a real tsunami warning for nearby coasts, and no confirmed reports of casualties or property damage in the first hours. Coastal residents in the region should follow official advisories from Vanuatu authorities and recognised tsunami-warning agencies rather than social-media wave-height claims. As with Japan's false 9.9 earthquake alert earlier this month — and unlike the deadly magnitude-7 Tibet quake — the difference between a warning and a disaster is often decided in the hours after the shaking stops. This story will be updated as official assessments arrive.