Strong 6.1-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Vanuatu, Shaking South Pacific

Following powerful earthquakes in Colombia and Indonesia, another strong earthquake has struck the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit near the country’s coast on Sunday (August 16).

The German Research Centre for Geosciences, or GFZ, said the earthquake occurred at a depth of about 155.1 kilometers. The US Geological Survey also confirmed the magnitude at 6.1, placing the epicenter about 56 kilometers northeast of the coastal town of Port Olry and at a depth of around 188 kilometers.

No immediate reports of casualties or major infrastructure damage were available following the earthquake. No tsunami warning was issued in connection with the tremor.

Vanuatu lies along the tectonic “Ring of Fire,” a region stretching from Southeast Asia across the Pacific basin that is highly prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity.

The earthquake in Vanuatu came shortly after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia early Saturday, followed by hundreds of aftershocks. The Indonesian earthquake reportedly caused significant loss of life.

Earlier, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, damaging buildings, roads and other infrastructure across areas including Cali and Pereira. The powerful earthquake reportedly killed around 300 people, injured thousands more and left more than a hundred people missing as rescue operations continued.