Luganville authorities assess damage after magnitude 7.2 quake

March 30, 2026 11:42 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

Authorities in Luganville, Santo are mobilising to assess damage after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu shortly before 8pm local time yesterday.

The quake was centred roughly 21 miles northeast of Luganville, the country’s second-largest municipality, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Despite its strength, with an epicentre about 72 miles below the Earth’s surface, no tsunami warning was issued. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), earthquakes deeper than 62 miles below the Earth’s surface are unlikely to trigger tsunamis.

Vanuatu’s Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department (VMGD) urged residents in the provinces of TORBA, SANMA, PENAMA, and MALAMPA to avoid coastal areas and remain alert. Vanuatu lies along the boundary between the Indo-Australian and Pacific tectonic plates and is one of the most seismically active regions of the Pacific Ring of Fire, according to the USGS.

The Ring of Fire is a 25,000-mile chain of volcanoes surrounding the Pacific Ocean, where 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes occur.