2024 Port Vila earthquake facts for kids
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Strong ground motion map by USGS
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| UTC time | 2024-12-17 01:47:26 |
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| ISC event | 642646721 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 17 December 2024 |
| Local time | 12:47:26 VUT (UTC+11) |
| Duration | 30 seconds |
| Magnitude | 7.3 Mw |
| Depth | 57.1 km (35 mi) |
| Epicenter | 17°41′10″S 168°02′02″E / 17.686°S 168.034°E |
| Type | Oblique-slip |
| Areas affected | Efate, Vanuatu |
| Max. intensity | IX (Violent) |
| Tsunami | 25 cm (10 in) |
| Aftershocks | 300+ Strongest: Mw5.5 |
| Casualties | 16 fatalities, 210 injuries |
At 12:47:26 VUT (01:47:26 UTC) on 17 December 2024, a Mw 7.3 earthquake struck Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. At least 16 people died while 210 others were injured. Extensive damage occurred in Port Vila and surrounding areas. The earthquake also generated a 25 cm (10 in) tsunami.
Contents
Tectonic setting
The primary feature of the Vanuatuan archipelago, located on its west-southwest, is the New Hebrides Trench, the convergent boundary between the Australian and New Hebrides plates. Along the Wadati–Benioff zone, earthquake activity has been observed as shallow, intermediate, and deep-focus events at depths of up to 700 km (430 mi). Volcanic activity is also present along this north-northwest trending and northeast-dipping subduction zone. This subduction zone is one of the most active plate boundaries globally, moving at a rate of approximately 170 mm (7 in) per year.
While much of the island arc experiences intermediate-depth earthquakes along a Wadati–Benioff zone that dips steeply at 70°, the area adjacent to the d'Entrecasteaux Ridge does not. There is a corresponding gap in seismicity that occurs below 50 km (31 mi) where it enters the subduction zone from the west. According to the NUVEL-1 global relative plate motion model, convergence is occurring at roughly 8 cm (3.1 in) per year. The uncertainty, which also affects the Tonga Arc, is due to the influence of spreading at the North Fiji Basin. Of the 58 Mw 7.0 or greater events that occurred between 1909 and 2001, few were studied.
Earthquake
The earthquake struck some 30 kilometres (19 mi) off the coast of Efate. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the earthquake at Mw 7.3 with a depth of 57.1 kilometres (35.5 mi). The focal mechanism indicated oblique-normal faulting. Together with the hypocentral depth, this implied faulting within the subducting Australian plate. The USGS proposed two finite fault models: one depicting rupture on a northwest-trending fault with a shallow west-southwest dip, and the other on an east-northeast fault with a near-vertical dip. Both rupture models indicated a maximum slip of 3 m (9.8 ft). Shaking was estimated to have lasted for around 30 seconds. Over 300 aftershocks were recorded, with the strongest measuring Mw 5.5. The earthquake with its current depth was significantly smaller than Mw 8 earthquakes typically responsible for generating damaging tsunamis.
Impact
At least 16 people were confirmed killed, while 210 others were injured. Former Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau claimed that almost every single house on the island of Efate suffered damage. In Port Vila, at least 10 buildings collapsed, including some in a pancaking manner. A building housing the United States, United Kingdom, French and New Zealand embassies and high commissions collapsed on its ground floor. The United States, France, New Zealand and Australia said that their diplomatic personnel in Vanuatu were in safe condition. Another building was partially destroyed, while severe landslides occurred, including some that blocked roads and buried a wharf in the city. Two bridges also collapsed. The earthquake struck at a time when the center of Port Vila was busy with lunchtime shoppers.
A landslide struck the international shipping terminal of Port Vila, while the runway and control tower of Bauerfield International Airport was damaged, leading to the cancellation of multiple flights and its closure to non-humanitarian flights for 72 hours. Another landslide buried a bus, resulting in several deaths. Two reservoirs and the Port Vila Central Hospital were also damaged, forcing the transfer of patients to a military camp. Landslides were also reported in outlying villages and islands, while three bridges were damaged to a point that they were at high risk of collapsing in case of heavy rain. Two power lines were also damaged. The earthquake also triggered landslides that blocked airfields in surrounding islands and damaged water supplies.
A 25 cm (9.8 in) tsunami was observed. The submarine cable providing internet service to Vanuatu was damaged, causing outages. Websites of Vanuatuan government agencies went offline, while communication lines for police and related authorities were rendered unserviceable. The Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation went off air due to damage to Broadcasting House. Despite connectivity issues, people were able to go online through Starlink. The Vanuatu Red Cross Society building was also damaged. Power and water outages occurred in the city, leading to an increase in diarrhoea cases. The main utilities provider, UNELCO, said it could take two weeks to fully restore water supplies. Extensive crop damage was recorded in Mataso due to landslides that buried gardens, sparking concerns over food shortages.
The USGS estimated that the earthquake could cause economic losses measuring between 1–10% of Vanuatu's GDP. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimated that 116,000 people had been directly affected by the earthquake, equivalent to a third of Vanuatu's population. Among them were 14,000 children. Around 1,000 people were displaced, while 20,000 were without water.
See also
In Spanish: Terremoto de Port Vila de 2024 para niños
- List of earthquakes in 2024
- List of earthquakes in Vanuatu
- 2002 Port Vila earthquake
