Vanuatu: Mgnitude-5.1 earthquake occurs on Maewo island in Penama Province at around 13:03 Sept. 14

A magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurred on Maewo island in Penama Province at around 13:03 Sept. 14. The epicenter was about 109 km (68 miles) east-northeast of Luganville. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 12 km (7 miles), and moderate shaking probably occurred near the epicenter, with weak-to-light tremors likely across Malampa, Penama, Sanma, and northern Shefa provinces. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are possible over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.